COVID-19 Induces Neuroinflammation and Suppresses Peroxisomes in the Brain, 2023, Roczkowsky et al.

COVID-19 Induces Neuroinflammation and Suppresses Peroxisomes in the Brain
A. Roczkowsky; D. Limonta; J. P. Fernandes; W. G. Branton; M. Clarke; B. Hlavay; R. S. Noyce; J. T. Joseph; N. S. Ogando; S. K. Das; M. Elaish; N. Arbour; D. H. Evans; K. Langdon; T. C. Hobman; C. Power

Objective: Peroxisome injury occurs in the central nervous system (CNS) during multiple virus infections that result in neurological disabilities. We investigated host neuroimmune responses and peroxisome biogenesis factors during severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection using a multiplatform strategy.

Methods: Brain tissues from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) (n = 12) and other disease control (ODC) (n = 12) patients, as well as primary human neural cells and Syrian hamsters, infected with a clinical variant of SARS-CoV-2, were investigated by droplet digital polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR), quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-qPCR), and immunodetection methods.

Results: SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected in the CNS of 4 patients with COVID-19 with viral protein (NSP3 and spike) immunodetection in the brainstem. Olfactory bulb, brainstem, and cerebrum from patients with COVID-19 showed induction of pro-inflammatory transcripts (IL8, IL18, CXCL10, NOD2) and cytokines (GM-CSF and IL-18) compared to CNS tissues from ODC patients (p < 0.05). Peroxisome biogenesis factor transcripts (PEX3, PEX5L, PEX11 β , and PEX14) and proteins (PEX3, PEX14, PMP70) were suppressed in the CNS of COVID-19 compared to ODC patients (p < 0.05). SARS-CoV-2 infection of hamsters revealed viral RNA detection in the olfactory bulb at days 4 and 7 postinfection while inflammatory gene expression was upregulated in the cerebrum of infected animals by day 14 postinfection (p < 0.05). Pex3 transcript levels together with catalase and PMP70 immunoreactivity were suppressed in the cerebrum of SARS-CoV-2 infected animals (p < 0.05).

Interpretation: COVID-19 induced sustained neuroinflammatory responses with peroxisome biogenesis factor suppression despite limited brainstem SARS-CoV-2 neurotropism in humans. These observations offer insights into developing biomarkers and therapies, while also implicating persistent peroxisome dysfunction as a contributor to the neurological post-acute sequelae of COVID-19.

Link | PDF (Annals of Neurology)

 

So, is it neuroinflammation yet? Or does it have to come from the Enflammé region of France?

Really seems like there's a term missing here for immune activation that isn't the kind that lights up on MRIs and is associated with life-threatening conditions like Guillain-Barré.

 

Uh-huh, I have my fingers hovering over the salt pile on this one. Looks like someone in Canada is lining up the next super-supplement for market. I wonder if the authors who are all from Edmonton know med-life authors from Saskatoon.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peroxisome

https://med-life.ca/literature/2021/11/25/plasmalogen-replacement-therapy
https://med-life.ca/plasmalogens
Bozelli JC and Epand RM
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