학술논문

COVID-19–associated Lung Microvascular Endotheliopathy: A “From the Bench” Perspective
Document Type
article
Source
American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. 206(8)
Subject
Medical Microbiology
Biomedical and Clinical Sciences
Prevention
Biodefense
Pneumonia & Influenza
Pneumonia
Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome
Vaccine Related
Infectious Diseases
Lung
Rare Diseases
Clinical Research
Emerging Infectious Diseases
Aetiology
2.1 Biological and endogenous factors
Good Health and Well Being
Biomarkers
COVID-19
Endothelial Cells
Humans
Inflammation Mediators
Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1
SARS-CoV-2
Spike Glycoprotein
Coronavirus
Vascular Diseases
Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
acute respiratory distress syndrome
endothelial permeability
lung endothelial injury
COVID-19 Multi-Phenotyping for Effective Therapies (COMET) Consortium
COVID-19 Associated Coagulopathy
Inflammation
and Thrombosis (Co-ACIT) Study Group
Medical and Health Sciences
Respiratory System
Cardiovascular medicine and haematology
Clinical sciences
Language
Abstract
Rationale: Autopsy and biomarker studies suggest that endotheliopathy contributes to coronavirus disease (COVID-19)-associated acute respiratory distress syndrome. However, the effects of COVID-19 on the lung endothelium are not well defined. We hypothesized that the lung endotheliopathy of COVID-19 is caused by circulating host factors and direct endothelial infection by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Objectives: We aimed to determine the effects of SARS-CoV-2 or sera from patients with COVID-19 on the permeability and inflammatory activation of lung microvascular endothelial cells. Methods: Human lung microvascular endothelial cells were treated with live SARS-CoV-2; inactivated viral particles; or sera from patients with COVID-19, patients without COVID-19, and healthy volunteers. Permeability was determined by measuring transendothelial resistance to electrical current flow, where decreased resistance signifies increased permeability. Inflammatory mediators were quantified in culture supernatants. Endothelial biomarkers were quantified in patient sera. Measurements and Main Results: Viral PCR confirmed that SARS-CoV-2 enters and replicates in endothelial cells. Live SARS-CoV-2, but not dead virus or spike protein, induces endothelial permeability and secretion of plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 and vascular endothelial growth factor. There was substantial variability in the effects of SARS-CoV-2 on endothelial cells from different donors. Sera from patients with COVID-19 induced endothelial permeability, which correlated with disease severity. Serum levels of endothelial activation and injury biomarkers were increased in patients with COVID-19 and correlated with severity of illness. Conclusions: SARS-CoV-2 infects and dysregulates endothelial cell functions. Circulating factors in patients with COVID-19 also induce endothelial cell dysfunction. Our data point to roles for both systemic factors acting on lung endothelial cells and viral infection of endothelial cells in COVID-19-associated endotheliopathy.