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- Marklund, Emelie, et al.
(author)
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Serum-IgG responses to SARS-CoV-2 after mild and severe COVID-19 infection and analysis of IgG non-responders.
- 2020
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In: PloS one. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1932-6203. ; 15:10
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- To accurately interpret COVID-19 seroprevalence surveys, knowledge of serum-IgG responses to SARS-CoV-2 with a better understanding of patients who do not seroconvert, is imperative. This study aimed to describe serum-IgG responses to SARS-CoV-2 in a cohort of patients with both severe and mild COVID-19, including extended studies of patients who remained seronegative more than 90 days post symptom onset.SARS-CoV-2-specific IgG antibody levels were quantified using two clinically validated and widely used commercial serological assays (Architect, Abbott Laboratories and iFlash 1800, YHLO), detecting antibodies against the spike and nucleocapsid proteins.Forty-seven patients (mean age 49 years, 38% female) were included. All (15/15) patients with severe symptoms and 29/32 (90.6%) patients with mild symptoms of COVID-19 developed SARS-CoV-2-specific IgG antibodies in serum. Time to seroconversion was significantly shorter (median 11 vs. 22 days, P = 0.04) in patients with severe compared to mild symptoms. Of the three patients without detectable IgG-responses after >90 days, all had detectable virus-neutralizing antibodies and in two, spike-protein receptor binding domain-specific IgG was detected with an in-house assay. Antibody titers were preserved during follow-up and all patients who seroconverted, irrespective of the severity of symptoms, still had detectable IgG levels >75 days post symptom onset.Patients with severe COVID-19 both seroconvert earlier and develop higher concentrations of SARS-CoV-2-specific IgG than patients with mild symptoms. Of those patients who not develop detectable IgG antibodies, all have detectable virus-neutralizing antibodies, suggesting immunity. Our results showing that not all COVID-19 patients develop detectable IgG using two validated commercial clinical methods, even over time, are vital for the interpretation of COVID-19 seroprevalence surveys.
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- Beck-Friis, Thomas, et al.
(author)
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Comparison of SARS-CoV-2 spike RNA sequences in feces and nasopharynx indicates intestinal replication
- 2022
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In: Gut Pathogens. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1757-4749. ; 14:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background Little is known of possible selection and replication of SARS-CoV-2 in the intestines and if viral load in feces is associated with severity of disease. Therefore, sequence variations of the spike region in strains collected from feces and nasopharynx (NPH) from the same patients were compared. It was also investigated whether viral load in feces related to severity of COVID-19 in hospitalized patients. Results SARS-CoV-2 RNA was found in 88 (79%) fecal samples from 112 patients. The complete spike region could be sequenced in 15 fecal and 14 NPH samples. Fourteen Alpha-variants and one Beta-variant of SARS-CoV-2 were identified. The majority of the viral genetic variants (viral populations) in two fecal samples, but none in NPH, had a reversion of the H69/V70 amino acid deletion normally seen in the Alpha variants. Nine fecal samples contained up to nine minority variants, each which may constitute a separate viral population. Five NPH samples had one genetic variant each, and one NPH sample contained nine minority populations of SARS-CoV-2 spike genes. Conclusions The higher genomic diversity of SARS-CoV-2 in feces compared to NPH, and the reversion of the H69/V70 deletion in Alpha variants from feces indicate a selection of viral strains and replication of SARS-CoV-2 in the gastrointestinal tract.
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- Borssén, Magnus, et al.
(author)
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DNA Methylation Adds Prognostic Value to Minimal Residual Disease Status in Pediatric T-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia
- 2016
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In: Pediatric Blood & Cancer. - : Wiley. - 1545-5009 .- 1545-5017. ; 63:7, s. 1185-1192
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background. Despite increased knowledge about genetic aberrations in pediatric T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL), no clinically feasible treatment-stratifying marker exists at diagnosis. Instead patients are enrolled in intensive induction therapies with substantial side effects. In modern protocols, therapy response is monitored by minimal residual disease (MRD) analysis and used for postinduction risk group stratification. DNA methylation profiling is a candidate for subtype discrimination at diagnosis and we investigated its role as a prognostic marker in pediatric T-ALL. Procedure. Sixty-five diagnostic T-ALL samples from Nordic pediatric patients treated according to the Nordic Society of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology ALL 2008 (NOPHO ALL 2008) protocol were analyzed by HumMeth450K genome wide DNA methylation arrays. Methylation status was analyzed in relation to clinical data and early T-cell precursor (ETP) phenotype. Results. Two distinct CpG island methylator phenotype (CIMP) groups were identified. Patients with a CIMP-negative profile had an inferior response to treatment compared to CIMP-positive patients (3-year cumulative incidence of relapse (CIR3y) rate: 29% vs. 6%, P = 0.01). Most importantly, CIMP classification at diagnosis allowed subgrouping of high-risk T-ALL patients (MRD >= 0.1% at day 29) into two groups with significant differences in outcome (CIR3y rates: CIMP negative 50% vs. CIMP positive 12%; P = 0.02). These groups did not differ regarding ETP phenotype, but the CIMP-negative group was younger (P = 0.02) and had higher white blood cell count at diagnosis (P = 0.004) compared with the CIMP-positive group. Conclusions. CIMP classification at diagnosis in combination with MRD during induction therapy is a strong candidate for further risk classification and could confer important information in treatment decision making.
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- Lundgren, Anna, 1974, et al.
(author)
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Plasmablasts in previously immunologically naive COVID-19 patients express markers indicating mucosal homing and secrete antibodies cross-reacting with SARS-CoV-2 variants and other beta-coronaviruses
- 2023
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In: Clinical and Experimental Immunology. - 0009-9104 .- 1365-2249. ; 213:2, s. 173-89
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Antigen-specific class-switched antibodies are detected at the same time or even before IgM in serum of non-vaccinated individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2. These derive from the first wave of plasmablasts formed. Hence, the phenotype and specificity of plasmablasts can reveal information about early B-cell activation. Here we have analyzed B cells and plasmablasts circulating in blood of COVID-19 patients not previously exposed to SARS-CoV-2 during and after disease. We find that during infection with the original Wuhan strain, plasmablasts in blood produce IgA1, IgG1, and IgM, and that most express CCR10 and integrin beta 1, only some integrin beta 7, while the majority lack CCR9. Plasmablast-secreted antibodies are reactive to the spike (S) and nucleocapsid (N) proteins of the Wuhan strain as well as later variants of concern, but also bind S proteins from endemic and non-circulating betacoronaviruses. In contrast, after recovery, antibodies produced from memory B cells target variants of SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV-1 but compared to previously non-infected individuals do not show increased binding to endemic coronaviruses. This suggests that the early antibody response to a large extent stems from pre-existing cross-reactive class-switched memory B cells, and that although newly formed memory cells target the novel SARS-CoV-2 virus the numbers of broadly cross-reactive memory B cells do not increase extensively. The observations give insight into the role of pre-existing memory B cells in early antibody responses to novel pathogens and may explain why class-switched antibodies are detected early in the serum of COVID-19 patients. During an infection, plasmablasts circulating in blood represent ongoing formation of antibody-producing cells from activated B cells. Here we study the early plasmablasts in previously naive COVID-19 patients arriving at hospital. We find extensive cross-reactivity to circulating and non-circulating beta-coronaviruses, that IgA1 responses dominate, and that the cells express markers suggesting mucosal homing.
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| 7. |
- Marklund, Emelie, et al.
(author)
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Longitudinal Follow Up of Immune Responses to SARS-CoV-2 in Health Care Workers in Sweden With Several Different Commercial IgG-Assays, Measurement of Neutralizing Antibodies and CD4+ T-Cell Responses.
- 2021
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In: Frontiers in immunology. - : Frontiers Media SA. - 1664-3224. ; 12
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection among health care workers (HCWs) is a concern, but studies that conclusively determine whether HCWs are over-represented remain limited. Furthermore, methods used to confirm past infection vary and the immunological response after mild COVID-19 is still not well defined.314 HCWs were recruited from a Swedish Infectious Diseases clinic caring for COVID-19 patients. IgG antibodies were measured using two commercial assays (Abbot Architect nucleocapsid (N)-assay and YHLO iFlash-1800 N and spike (S)-assays) at five time-points, from March 2020 to January 2021, covering two pandemic waves. Seroprevalence was assessed in matched blood donors at three time-points. More extensive analyses were performed in 190 HCWs in September/October 2020, including two additional IgG-assays (DiaSorin LiaisonXL S1/S2 and Abbot Architect receptor-binding domain (RBD)-assays), neutralizing antibodies (NAbs), and CD4+ T-cell reactivity using an in-house developed in vitro whole-blood assay based on flow cytometric detection of activated cells after stimulation with Spike S1-subunit or Spike, Membrane and Nucleocapsid (SMN) overlapping peptide pools.Seroprevalence was higher among HCWs compared to sex and age-matched blood donors at all time-points. Seropositivity increased from 6.4% to 16.3% among HCWs between May 2020 and January 2021, compared to 3.6% to 11.9% among blood donors. We found significant correlations and high levels of agreement between NAbs and all four commercial IgG-assays. At 200-300 days post PCR-verified infection, there was a wide variation in sensitivity between the commercial IgG-assays, ranging from <30% in the N-assay to >90% in the RBD-assay. There was only moderate agreement between NAbs and CD4+ T-cell reactivity to S1 or SMN. Pre-existing CD4+ T-cell reactivity was present in similar proportions among HCW who subsequently became infected and those that did not.HCWs in COVID-19 patient care in Sweden have been infected with SARS-CoV-2 at a higher rate compared to blood donors. We demonstrate substantial variation between different IgG-assays and propose that multiple serological targets should be used to verify past infection. Our data suggest that CD4+ T-cell reactivity is not a suitable measure of past infection and does not reliably indicate protection from infection in naive individuals.
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| 8. |
- Nyström, Thomas, et al.
(author)
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Evaluation of Effects of Continuous Glucose Monitoring on Physical Activity Habits and Blood Lipid Levels in Persons With Type 1 Diabetes Managed With MDI: An Analysis Based on the GOLD Randomized Trial (GOLD 8)
- 2024
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In: Journal of diabetes science and technology. - : SAGE Publications. - 1932-2968. ; 18:1, s. 89-98
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: People with type 1 diabetes generally view it easier to exercise when having continuous information of the glucose levels. We evaluated whether patients with type 1 diabetes managed with multiple daily insulin injections (MDI) exercised more after initiating continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) and whether the improved glycemic control and well-being associated with CGM translates into improved blood lipids and markers of inflammation. Method: The GOLD trial was a randomized cross-over trial over 16 months where patients used either CGM or capillary self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) over six months, with a four-month wash-out period between the two treatment periods. We compared grade of physical activity, blood lipids, apolipoproteins, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) levels during CGM and SMBG. Results: There were 116 patients with information of physical activity estimated by the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) during both CGM and SMBG. No changes were found during CGM or SMBG, IPAQ scores 3305 versus 3878 (P =.16). In 136 participants with information of blood lipid levels with no change in lipid-lowering medication during the two treatment periods, HbA1c differed by 4.2 mmol/mol (NGSP 0.39%) between SMBG and CGM treatment (P <.001). No significant changes existed in low-density lipoprotein, high-density lipoprotein, triglycerides, total cholesterol, apolipoprotein A1, apolipoprotein B1, or hsCRP, during CGM and SMBG. Conclusion: Although many patients experience it easier to perform physical activity when monitoring glucose levels with CGM, it does not influence the amount of physical activity in persons with type 1 diabetes. Blood lipids, apolipoprotein, and hsCRP levels were similar during CGM and SMBG.
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| 9. |
- Saguti, Fredy, et al.
(author)
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Surveillance of wastewater revealed peaks of SARS-CoV-2 preceding those of hospitalized patients with COVID-19.
- 2021
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In: Water research. - : Elsevier BV. - 1879-2448 .- 0043-1354. ; 189
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- SARS-CoV-2 was discovered among humans in Wuhan, China in late 2019, and then spread rapidly, causing a global pandemic. The virus was found to be transmitted mainly by respiratory droplets from infected persons or by direct contact. It was also shown to be excreted in feces, why we investigated whether the virus could be detected in wastewater and if so, to which extent its levels reflects its spread in society. Samples of wastewater from the city of Gothenburg, and surrounding municipalities in Sweden were collected daily from mid-February until June 2020 at the Rya wastewater treatment plant. Flow proportional samples of wastewater were collected to ensure that comparable amounts were obtained for analysis. Daily samples were pooled into weekly samples. Virus was concentrated on a filter and analyzed by RT-qPCR. The amount of SARS-CoV-2 varied with peaks approximately every four week, preceding variations in number of newly hospitalized patients by 19-21 days. At that time virus testing for COVID-19 was limited to patients with severe symptoms. Local differences in viral spread was shown by analyzing weekly composite samples of wastewater from five sampling sites for four weeks. The highest amount of virus was found from the central, eastern, and northern parts of the city. SARS-CoV-2 was also found in the treated effluent wastewater from the WWTP discharged into the recipient, the Göta River, although with a reduction of 4-log10. The viral peaks with regular temporal intervals indicated that SARS-CoV-2 may have a cluster spread, probably reflecting that the majority of infected persons only spread the disease during a few days. Our results are important for both the planning of hospital care and to rapidly identify and intervene against local spread of the virus.
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| 10. |
- Saguti, Fredy, et al.
(author)
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Surveillance of wastewater revealed peaks of SARS-CoV-2 preceding those of hospitalized patients with COVID-19
- 2021
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In: Water Research. - : Elsevier BV. - 0043-1354 .- 1879-2448. ; 189
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- SARS-CoV-2 was discovered among humans in Wuhan, China in late 2019, and then spread rapidly, causing a global pandemic. The virus was found to be transmitted mainly by respiratory droplets from infected persons or by direct contact. It was also shown to be excreted in feces, why we investigated whether the virus could be detected in wastewater and if so, to which extent its levels reflects its spread in society. Samples of wastewater from the city of Gothenburg, and surrounding municipalities in Sweden were collected daily from mid-February until June 2020 at the Rya wastewater treatment plant. Flow proportional samples of wastewater were collected to ensure that comparable amounts were obtained for analysis. Daily samples were pooled into weekly samples. Virus was concentrated on a filter and analyzed by RT-qPCR. The amount of SARS-CoV-2 varied with peaks approximately every four week, preceding variations in number of newly hospitalized patients by 19-21 days. At that time virus testing for COVID-19 was limited to patients with severe symptoms. Local differences in viral spread was shown by analyzing weekly composite samples of wastewater from five sampling sites for four weeks. The highest amount of virus was found from the central, eastern, and northern parts of the city. SARS-CoV-2 was also found in the treated effluent wastewater from the WWTP discharged into the recipient, the Göta River, although with a reduction of 4-log10. The viral peaks with regular temporal intervals indicated that SARS-CoV-2 may have a cluster spread, probably reflecting that the majority of infected persons only spread the disease during a few days. Our results are important for both the planning of hospital care and to rapidly identify and intervene against local spread of the virus.
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