Frontiers in Immunology (Sep 2021)

Profile of Immunoglobulin G N-Glycome in COVID-19 Patients: A Case-Control Study

  • Haifeng Hou,
  • Huan Yang,
  • Huan Yang,
  • Pengcheng Liu,
  • Changwu Huang,
  • Meng Wang,
  • Yuejin Li,
  • Mingsong Zhu,
  • Jing Wang,
  • Yuan Xu,
  • Youxin Wang,
  • Qingwei Ma,
  • Dong Li,
  • Pu Liao,
  • Wei Wang,
  • Wei Wang,
  • Wei Wang

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2021.748566
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 12

Abstract

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Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) remains a major health challenge globally. Previous studies have suggested that changes in the glycosylation of IgG are closely associated with the severity of COVID-19. This study aimed to compare the profiles of IgG N-glycome between COVID-19 patients and healthy controls. A case-control study was conducted, in which 104 COVID-19 patients and 104 age- and sex-matched healthy individuals were recruited. Serum IgG N-glycome composition was analyzed by hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography with the ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (HILIC-UPLC) approach. COVID-19 patients have a decreased level of IgG fucosylation, which upregulates antibody-dependent cell cytotoxicity (ADCC) in acute immune responses. In severe cases, a low level of IgG sialylation contributes to the ADCC-regulated enhancement of inflammatory cytokines. The decreases in sialylation and galactosylation play a role in COVID-19 pathogenesis via the activation of the lectin-initiated alternative complement pathway. IgG N-glycosylation underlines the complex clinical phenotypes of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

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