| Autor: |
Ustiuzhanina MO; Shemyakin & Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Moscow, Russia.; Center of Life Sciences, Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, 121205 Moscow, Russia., Vavilova JD; Shemyakin & Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Moscow, Russia., Boyko AA; Shemyakin & Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Moscow, Russia., Streltsova MA; Shemyakin & Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Moscow, Russia., Kust SA; Shemyakin & Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Moscow, Russia., Kanevskiy LM; Shemyakin & Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Moscow, Russia., Sapozhnikov AM; Shemyakin & Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Moscow, Russia., Iskhakov RN; Shemyakin & Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Moscow, Russia., Gubernatorova EO; Center for Precision Genome Editing and Genetic Technologies for Biomedicine, Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119991 Moscow, Russia., Drutskaya MS; Center for Precision Genome Editing and Genetic Technologies for Biomedicine, Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119991 Moscow, Russia.; Division of Immunobiology and Biomedicine, Center of Genetics and Life Sciences, Sirius University of Science and Technology, 354340 Federal Territory Sirius, Russia., Bychinin MV; Federal Research and Clinical Center of Specialized Medical Care and Medical Technologies FMBA of Russia, 115682 Moscow, Russia., Zhukova OA; Federal Research and Clinical Center of Specialized Medical Care and Medical Technologies FMBA of Russia, 115682 Moscow, Russia., Novikova ON; Federal Research and Clinical Center of Specialized Medical Care and Medical Technologies FMBA of Russia, 115682 Moscow, Russia., Sotnikova AG; Federal Research and Clinical Center of Specialized Medical Care and Medical Technologies FMBA of Russia, 115682 Moscow, Russia., Yusubalieva GM; Federal Research and Clinical Center of Specialized Medical Care and Medical Technologies FMBA of Russia, 115682 Moscow, Russia., Baklaushev VP; Federal Research and Clinical Center of Specialized Medical Care and Medical Technologies FMBA of Russia, 115682 Moscow, Russia., Kovalenko EI; Shemyakin & Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Moscow, Russia. |
| Abstrakt: |
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, is accompanied by a dysregulated immune response. In particular, NK cells, involved in the antiviral response, are affected by the infection. This study aimed to investigate circulating NK cells with a focus on their activation, depletion, changes in the surface expression of key receptors, and functional activity during COVID-19, among intensive care unit (ICU) patients, moderately ill patients, and convalescents (CCP). Our data confirmed that NK cell activation in patients with COVID-19 is accompanied by changes in circulating cytokines. The progression of COVID-19 was associated with a coordinated decrease in the proportion of NKG2D + and CD16 + NK cells, and an increase in PD-1, which indicated their exhaustion. A higher content of NKG2D + NK cells distinguished surviving patients from non-survivors in the ICU group. NK cell exhaustion in ICU patients was additionally confirmed by a strong negative correlation of PD-1 and natural cytotoxicity levels. In moderately ill patients and convalescents, correlations were found between the levels of CD57, NKG2C, and NKp30, which may indicate the formation of adaptive NK cells. A reduced NKp30 level was observed in patients with a lethal outcome. Altogether, the phenotypic changes in circulating NK cells of COVID-19 patients suggest that the intense activation of NK cells during SARS-CoV-2 infection, most likely induced by cytokines, is accompanied by NK cell exhaustion, the extent of which may be critical for the disease outcome. |
