SARS-CoV-2 typically causes mild symptoms in children, but evidence suggests that persistent immunopathological changes may lead to long COVID (LC). To explore the interplay between LC and innate immunity, we assessed the type I interferon (IFN-I) response in children and adolescents with LC symptoms (LC; n = 28). This was compared with age-matched SARS-CoV-2 recovered participants without LC symptoms (MC; n = 28) and healthy controls (HC; n = 18). We measured the mRNA expression of IFN-I (IFN-α/β/ε/ω), IFN-I receptor (IFNAR1/2), and ISGs (ISG15, ISG56, MxA, IFI27, BST2, LY6E, OAS1, OAS2, OAS3, and MDA5) in PBMCs collected 3-6 months after COVID-19. LC adolescents (12-17 years) had higher transcript levels of IFN-β, IFN-ε, and IFN-ω than HC, whereas LC children (6-11 years) had lower levels than HC. In adolescents, increased levels of IFN-α, IFN-β, and IFN-ω mRNAs were found in the LC group compared with MC, while lower levels were observed in LC children than MC. Adolescents with neurological symptoms had higher IFN-α/β mRNA levels than MC. LC and MC participants showed decreased expression of ISGs and IFNAR1, but increased expression of IFNAR2, than HC. Our results show age-related changes in the expression of transcripts involved in the IFN-I signaling pathway in children and adolescents with LC.

Age-related transcript changes in type I interferon signaling in children and adolescents with long COVID / Fracella, Matteo; Mancino, Enrica; Nenna, Raffaella; Virgillito, Chiara; Frasca, Federica; D'Auria, Alessandra; Sorrentino, Leonardo; Petrarca, Laura; La Regina, Domenico; Matera, Luigi; Di Mattia, Greta; Caputo, Beniamino; Antonelli, Guido; Pierangeli, Alessandra; Viscidi, Raphael P; Midulla, Fabio; Scagnolari, Carolina. - In: EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY. - ISSN 1521-4141. - (2024), pp. 1-10. [10.1002/eji.202350682]

Age-related transcript changes in type I interferon signaling in children and adolescents with long COVID

Fracella, Matteo;Mancino, Enrica;Nenna, Raffaella;Virgillito, Chiara;Frasca, Federica;D'Auria, Alessandra;Sorrentino, Leonardo;Petrarca, Laura;La Regina, Domenico;Matera, Luigi;Di Mattia, Greta;Caputo, Beniamino;Antonelli, Guido;Pierangeli, Alessandra;Midulla, Fabio;Scagnolari, Carolina
2024

Abstract

SARS-CoV-2 typically causes mild symptoms in children, but evidence suggests that persistent immunopathological changes may lead to long COVID (LC). To explore the interplay between LC and innate immunity, we assessed the type I interferon (IFN-I) response in children and adolescents with LC symptoms (LC; n = 28). This was compared with age-matched SARS-CoV-2 recovered participants without LC symptoms (MC; n = 28) and healthy controls (HC; n = 18). We measured the mRNA expression of IFN-I (IFN-α/β/ε/ω), IFN-I receptor (IFNAR1/2), and ISGs (ISG15, ISG56, MxA, IFI27, BST2, LY6E, OAS1, OAS2, OAS3, and MDA5) in PBMCs collected 3-6 months after COVID-19. LC adolescents (12-17 years) had higher transcript levels of IFN-β, IFN-ε, and IFN-ω than HC, whereas LC children (6-11 years) had lower levels than HC. In adolescents, increased levels of IFN-α, IFN-β, and IFN-ω mRNAs were found in the LC group compared with MC, while lower levels were observed in LC children than MC. Adolescents with neurological symptoms had higher IFN-α/β mRNA levels than MC. LC and MC participants showed decreased expression of ISGs and IFNAR1, but increased expression of IFNAR2, than HC. Our results show age-related changes in the expression of transcripts involved in the IFN-I signaling pathway in children and adolescents with LC.
2024
adolescents; children; isgs; long covid; neutralizing autoantibodies to interferon; sars‐cov‐2; type I interferon
01 Pubblicazione su rivista::01a Articolo in rivista
Age-related transcript changes in type I interferon signaling in children and adolescents with long COVID / Fracella, Matteo; Mancino, Enrica; Nenna, Raffaella; Virgillito, Chiara; Frasca, Federica; D'Auria, Alessandra; Sorrentino, Leonardo; Petrarca, Laura; La Regina, Domenico; Matera, Luigi; Di Mattia, Greta; Caputo, Beniamino; Antonelli, Guido; Pierangeli, Alessandra; Viscidi, Raphael P; Midulla, Fabio; Scagnolari, Carolina. - In: EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY. - ISSN 1521-4141. - (2024), pp. 1-10. [10.1002/eji.202350682]
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11573/1706973
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