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Clinical and molecular characteristics of COVID-19 patients with persistent SARS-CoV-2 infection

Author

Listed:
  • Bin Yang

    (Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology
    Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology)

  • Junpeng Fan

    (Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology
    Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology)

  • Jia Huang

    (Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology
    Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology)

  • Ensong Guo

    (Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology
    Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology)

  • Yu Fu

    (Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology
    Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology)

  • Si Liu

    (Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology
    Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology)

  • Rourou Xiao

    (Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology
    Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology)

  • Chen Liu

    (Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology
    Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology)

  • Funian Lu

    (Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology
    Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology)

  • Tianyu Qin

    (Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology
    Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology)

  • Chao He

    (Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology
    Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology)

  • Zizhuo Wang

    (Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology
    Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology)

  • Xu Qin

    (Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology
    Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology)

  • Dianxing Hu

    (Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology
    Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology)

  • Lixin You

    (Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology
    Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology)

  • Xi Li

    (Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology
    Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology)

  • Tian Wang

    (Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology
    Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology)

  • Peng Wu

    (Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology
    Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology)

  • Gang Chen

    (Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology
    Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology)

  • Jianfeng Zhou

    (Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology)

  • Kezhen Li

    (Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology
    Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology)

  • Chaoyang Sun

    (Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology
    Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology)

Abstract

The characteristics of COVID-19 patients with persistent SARS-CoV-2 infection are not yet well described. Here, we compare the clinical and molecular features of patients with long duration of viral shedding (LDs) with those from patients with short duration patients (SDs), and healthy donors (HDs). We find that several cytokines and chemokines, such as interleukin (IL)-2, tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and lymphotoxin α (LT-α) are present at lower levels in LDs than SDs. Single-cell RNA sequencing shows that natural killer (NK) cells and CD14+ monocytes are reduced, while regulatory T cells are increased in LDs; moreover, T and NK cells in LDs are less activated than in SDs. Importantly, most cells in LDs show reduced expression of ribosomal protein (RP) genes and related pathways, with this inversed correlation between RP levels and infection duration further validated in 103 independent patients. Our results thus indicate that immunosuppression and low RP expression may be related to the persistence of the viral infection in COVID-19 patients.

Suggested Citation

  • Bin Yang & Junpeng Fan & Jia Huang & Ensong Guo & Yu Fu & Si Liu & Rourou Xiao & Chen Liu & Funian Lu & Tianyu Qin & Chao He & Zizhuo Wang & Xu Qin & Dianxing Hu & Lixin You & Xi Li & Tian Wang & Peng, 2021. "Clinical and molecular characteristics of COVID-19 patients with persistent SARS-CoV-2 infection," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-13, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:12:y:2021:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-021-23621-y
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-23621-y
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