Researchers discover dysregulated proteins in COVID-19 patients linked to mechanical ventilation and mortality

he identification of certain proteins in the bloodstream by scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis has the potential to aid in distinguishing between COVID-19 patients requiring mechanical ventilation and those at risk of mortality.

According to Carlos Cruchaga, the lead researcher and head of the NeuroGenomics and Informatics Center at the School of Medicine, recognizing detrimental proteins could prove advantageous as we tackle the current COVID-19 virus and future virus outbreaks. By examining the levels of these essential proteins in the blood of an individual infected with COVID-19, we could promptly evaluate the potential for severe outcomes and select the most suitable treatment course based on that information.

Plasma samples collected from 332 COVID-19 patients who were admitted to Barnes-Jewish Hospital were juxtaposed with plasma samples obtained from 150 individuals who had not contracted the virus responsible for COVID-19, namely SARS-CoV-2. The samples were gathered during the hospital admission phase, enabling the identification of proteins connected with unfavorable COVID-19 outcomes much earlier than the time when patients were subjected to ventilation or succumbed to the virus.

Utilizing high-throughput proteomics, the researchers uncovered instances of protein overexpression and underexpression, also referred to as dysregulation, in blood plasma. Further examinations were conducted by the scientists to differentiate the proteins responsible for causing severe disease from those that became dysregulated due to the severe illness.

The research team identified a vast number of proteins that underwent changes in COVID-19 patients. Their analysis led to the conclusion that the presence of any of the 32 dysregulated proteins during COVID infection was indicative of the need for mechanical ventilation. In addition, they detected five proteins whose alteration in blood plasma due to the virus was linked to an increased likelihood of the patient's mortality.

The findings have significant implications for clinical practice, as the predictive approach established by the researchers can be used to inform treatment decisions and prevent adverse outcomes in COVID-19 patients. Moreover, the high-throughput proteomics technique employed in this study could potentially be used to detect suspicious proteins in other virus variants and even in entirely different viruses.



As stated by the researcher, the majority of the proteins identified were related to inflammation and the body's immune response, which was anticipated given the effects of COVID-19. However, a subset of these proteins was linked to a higher probability of patients requiring ventilation or facing a fatal outcome. By utilizing these proteomics methods, a predictive approach has been established, which can have crucial implications for clinical practice.

In their investigation, the researchers found that the 332 COVID-19 patients studied had any of the 32 dysregulated proteins, which indicated the requirement for mechanical ventilation. Furthermore, only those with abnormalities in five proteins were associated with severe disease resulting in death from the infection.

The findings of this study could aid in the development of more targeted and effective treatments for COVID-19 patients. By identifying the proteins that are linked to severe disease outcomes, healthcare professionals can tailor their treatment plans to address those specific factors.

To further evaluate their discoveries, the researchers analyzed identical proteomics data from 297 patients and 76 controls at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. They observed that the same proteins predicted the ultimate need for ventilation and the likelihood of mortality in both sets of patients.

According to the researcher, the study focused on blood plasma samples from patients hospitalized during the initial surge of COVID-19 cases. Therefore, it is unclear whether the same proteins would cause the need for ventilation and death from infection with subsequent variants of the virus. Nevertheless, the same high-throughput proteomics technique could potentially be employed to verify or detect suspicious proteins in other virus variants. The strategy may even prove beneficial in dealing with entirely different viruses.