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Overlapping Systemic Proteins in COVID-19 and Lung Fibrosis Associated with Tissue Remodeling and Inflammation

Svobodová, Barbora LU ; Löfdahl, Anna LU ; Nybom, Annika LU ; Wigén, Jenny LU ; Hirdman, Gabriel LU ; Olm, Franziska LU orcid ; Brunnström, Hans LU orcid ; Lindstedt, Sandra LU ; Westergren-Thorsson, Gunilla LU orcid and Elowsson, Linda LU (2024) In Biomedicines 12(12).
Abstract


Background/Objectives: A novel patient group with chronic pulmonary fibrosis is emerging post COVID-19. To identify patients at risk of developing post-COVID-19 lung fibrosis, we here aimed to identify systemic proteins that overlap with fibrotic markers identified in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and may predict COVID-19-induced lung fibrosis.
Methods: Ninety-two proteins were measured in plasma samples from hospitalized patients with moderate and severe COVID-19 in Sweden, before the introduction of the vaccination program, as well as from healthy individuals. These measurements were conducted using proximity extension assay (PEA) technology with a panel including inflammatory and remodeling proteins.... (More)


Background/Objectives: A novel patient group with chronic pulmonary fibrosis is emerging post COVID-19. To identify patients at risk of developing post-COVID-19 lung fibrosis, we here aimed to identify systemic proteins that overlap with fibrotic markers identified in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and may predict COVID-19-induced lung fibrosis.
Methods: Ninety-two proteins were measured in plasma samples from hospitalized patients with moderate and severe COVID-19 in Sweden, before the introduction of the vaccination program, as well as from healthy individuals. These measurements were conducted using proximity extension assay (PEA) technology with a panel including inflammatory and remodeling proteins. Histopathological alterations were evaluated in explanted lung tissue.
Results: Connecting to IPF pathology, several proteins including decorin (DCN), tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily member 12A (TNFRSF12A) and chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 13 (CXCL13) were elevated in COVID-19 patients compared to healthy subjects. Moreover, we found incrementing expression of monocyte chemotactic protein-3 (MCP-3) and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) when comparing moderate to severe COVID-19.
Conclusions: Both extracellular matrix- and inflammation-associated proteins were identified as overlapping with pulmonary fibrosis, where we found DCN, TNFRSF12A, CXCL13, CXCL9, MCP-3 and HGF to be of particular interest to follow up on for the prediction of disease severity.

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author
; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Biomedicines
volume
12
issue
12
article number
2893
publisher
MDPI AG
external identifiers
  • pmid:39767799
  • scopus:85213215226
ISSN
2227-9059
DOI
10.3390/biomedicines12122893
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
004644df-a841-4cb8-b836-2b5a110d0a8b
date added to LUP
2025-01-09 14:30:11
date last changed
2025-08-22 23:01:58
@article{004644df-a841-4cb8-b836-2b5a110d0a8b,
  abstract     = {{<p><br>
 Background/Objectives: A novel patient group with chronic pulmonary fibrosis is emerging post COVID-19. To identify patients at risk of developing post-COVID-19 lung fibrosis, we here aimed to identify systemic proteins that overlap with fibrotic markers identified in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and may predict COVID-19-induced lung fibrosis. <br>
 Methods: Ninety-two proteins were measured in plasma samples from hospitalized patients with moderate and severe COVID-19 in Sweden, before the introduction of the vaccination program, as well as from healthy individuals. These measurements were conducted using proximity extension assay (PEA) technology with a panel including inflammatory and remodeling proteins. Histopathological alterations were evaluated in explanted lung tissue. <br>
 Results: Connecting to IPF pathology, several proteins including decorin (DCN), tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily member 12A (TNFRSF12A) and chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 13 (CXCL13) were elevated in COVID-19 patients compared to healthy subjects. Moreover, we found incrementing expression of monocyte chemotactic protein-3 (MCP-3) and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) when comparing moderate to severe COVID-19. <br>
 Conclusions: Both extracellular matrix- and inflammation-associated proteins were identified as overlapping with pulmonary fibrosis, where we found DCN, TNFRSF12A, CXCL13, CXCL9, MCP-3 and HGF to be of particular interest to follow up on for the prediction of disease severity.<br>
 </p>}},
  author       = {{Svobodová, Barbora and Löfdahl, Anna and Nybom, Annika and Wigén, Jenny and Hirdman, Gabriel and Olm, Franziska and Brunnström, Hans and Lindstedt, Sandra and Westergren-Thorsson, Gunilla and Elowsson, Linda}},
  issn         = {{2227-9059}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{12}},
  number       = {{12}},
  publisher    = {{MDPI AG}},
  series       = {{Biomedicines}},
  title        = {{Overlapping Systemic Proteins in COVID-19 and Lung Fibrosis Associated with Tissue Remodeling and Inflammation}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines12122893}},
  doi          = {{10.3390/biomedicines12122893}},
  volume       = {{12}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}