Preprint Short Note Version 2 Preserved in Portico This version is not peer-reviewed

Neutrophil Involvement in Covid-19

Version 1 : Received: 18 April 2020 / Approved: 20 April 2020 / Online: 20 April 2020 (12:38:59 CEST)
Version 2 : Received: 22 April 2020 / Approved: 22 April 2020 / Online: 22 April 2020 (06:23:01 CEST)

How to cite: Didangelos, A. Neutrophil Involvement in Covid-19. Preprints 2020, 2020040363. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202004.0363.v2 Didangelos, A. Neutrophil Involvement in Covid-19. Preprints 2020, 2020040363. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202004.0363.v2

Abstract

Covid-19 is often related to hyperinflammation that drives lung or multi-organ injury. The immunopathological mechanisms that cause excessive inflammation following SARS-Cov-2 infection are under investigation while different approaches to limit hyperinflammation in affected patients are being proposed. Here, a computational protein-protein interaction network approach was used on recently available data to identify possible Covid-19 inflammatory mechanisms and bioactive genes. First, network analysis of putative SARS-Cov-2 cellular receptors and their directly associated proteins, led to the mining of a robust neutrophil response signature and multiple relevant inflammatory genes. Second, analysis of RNA-seq datasets of lung epithelial cells infected with SARS-Cov-2 revealed that infected cells specifically expressed neutrophil-attracting chemokines, further supporting the likely role of neutrophils in Covid-19 inflammation. Third, analysis of RNA-seq datasets of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from Covid-19 patients, identified neutrophil-specific genes and chemokines. Different immunoregulatory and neutrophil-relevant molecules mined here such as, TNFR, IL8, CXCR1, CXCR2, ADAM10, GPR84, MME-neprilysin, ANPEP and LAP3 are druggable and might be therapeutic targets in efforts to limit SARS-Cov-2 inflammation in severe clinical cases. The role of neutrophils in Covid-19 needs to be studied further.

Keywords

Covid-19; SARS-Cov-2; inflammation; neutrophil

Subject

Biology and Life Sciences, Immunology and Microbiology

Comments (1)

Comment 1
Received: 22 April 2020
Commenter: Athanasios Didangelos
Commenter's Conflict of Interests: Author
Comment: Added extra analysis and updated findings and Figure. See nee Fig.1I panel. BALF analysis. Text updated accordingly. Added one reference (BALF; Ref 4). Made other small edits, typos, corrections
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