Anticytokine Autoantibodies in COVID-19

National Institute Of Allergy And Infectious Diseases

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

For Autoantibody study, patient samples from the COVID-19 cohort obtained by Dr. Notarangelo, and control samples, were comprehensively screened for the presence of anticytokine autoantibodies. Functional studies were also performed to verify if positive samples contained neutralizing antibodies. We found that approximately 10% of patients with severe COVID-19 had high levels fo neutralizing antibodies against type I interferons. A manuscript describing these results was published in Science. For COVID-19 surveillance, a new clinical protocol was initiated at the NIH Clinical Center (20-I-0117). This is a prospective longitudinal cohort study of individuals with exposure to severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). The aim is to correlate results of reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) using various sample types, assays, and culture. We will perform serial screenings of NIH employees who have had contact with reported, suspected or known cases. We will also enroll individuals with previous or current infection who are asymptomatic at enrollment. The serial screenings will be done at multiple timepoints over 28 days using RT-PCR tests of nasopharyngeal (NP) swabs, saliva samples, midturbinate swabs, antibody assays and culture. Enrollment on this protocol has recently begun.