Abstract
The variability in resolution of SARS-CoV-2-infections between individuals neither is comprehended, nor are the long-term immunological consequences. To assess the long-term impact of a SARS-CoV-2-infection on the immune system, we conducted a prospective study of 80 acute and former SARS-CoV-2 infected individuals and 39 unexposed donors to evaluate autoantibody responses and immune composition. Autoantibody levels against cyclic citrullinated peptide (CCP), a specific predictor for rheumatoid arthritis (RA), were significantly (p = 0.035) elevated in convalescents only, whereas both acute COVID-19 patients and long-term convalescents showed critically increased levels of anti-tissue transglutaminase (TG), a specific predictor of celiac disease (CD) (p = 0.002). Both, anti-CCP and anti-TG antibody levels were still detectable after 4-8 months post infection. Anti-TG antibodies occurred predominantly in aged patients in a context of a post-SARS-CoV-2-specific immune composition (R 2 = 0.31; p = 0.044). This study shows that increased anti-CCP and anti-TG autoantibody levels can remain long-term after recovering even from mildly experienced COVID-19. The inter-relationship of the lung as viral entry side and RA- and CD-associated autoimmunity indicates that a SARS-CoV-2-infection could be a relevant environmental factor in their pathogenesis.
Keywords: Autoantibodies; COVID-19; Celiac disease; Long-term; Rheumatoid arthritis; SARS-CoV-2.
【저자키워드】 COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, long-term, rheumatoid arthritis, celiac disease, autoantibodies, 【초록키워드】 SARS-CoV-2, Autoimmunity, Pathogenesis, antibody, Prospective Study, peptide, lung, immune system, viral entry, immune, Consequences, response, Patient, convalescent, disease, Donor, autoantibody, Rheumatoid, CCP, individual, Variability, acute COVID-19, post infection, environmental factor, immunological, evaluate, occurred, significantly, detectable, elevated, conducted, indicate, R 2, SARS-CoV-2 infected individual, 【제목키워드】 Prevalence, autoantibody, SARS-CoV-2-infected individual,