Differences in Immunoglobulin G Glycosylation Between Influenza and COVID-19 Patients
Marina Kljaković-Gašpić Batinjan,
Tea Petrović,
Frano Vučković,
Irzal Hadžibegović,
Barbara Radovani,
Ivana Jurin,
Lovorka Đerek,
Eva Huljev,
Alemka Markotić,
Ivica Lukšić,
Irena Trbojević-Akmačić,
Gordan Lauc,
Ivan Gudelj,
Rok Čivljak
Affiliations
Marina Kljaković-Gašpić Batinjan
University Hospital Centre Zagreb, Zagreb 10000, Croatia
Tea Petrović
Genos Glycoscience Research Laboratory, Zagreb 10000, Croatia
Frano Vučković
Genos Glycoscience Research Laboratory, Zagreb 10000, Croatia
Irzal Hadžibegović
Department of Cardiology, University Hospital Dubrava, Zagreb 10000, Croatia; Faculty of Dental Medicine and Health, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University, Osijek 31000, Croatia
Barbara Radovani
Department of Biotechnology, University of Rijeka, Rijeka 51000, Croatia
Ivana Jurin
Department of Cardiology, University Hospital Dubrava, Zagreb 10000, Croatia
Lovorka Đerek
Department for Laboratory Diagnostics, University Hospital Dubrava, Zagreb 10000, Croatia
Eva Huljev
Department for Acute Respiratory Infections, University Hospital for Infectious Diseases “Dr. Fran Mihaljević”, Zagreb 10000, Croatia
Alemka Markotić
Department for Urogenital Infections, University Hospital for Infectious Diseases “Dr. Fran Mihaljević”, Zagreb 10000, Croatia; Department for Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, Catholic University of Croatia, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia; Postdoctoral Study, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, Rijeka 51000, Croatia
Ivica Lukšić
Department of Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Dubrava University Hospital, Zagreb 10000, Croatia
Irena Trbojević-Akmačić
Genos Glycoscience Research Laboratory, Zagreb 10000, Croatia
Gordan Lauc
Genos Glycoscience Research Laboratory, Zagreb 10000, Croatia; Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, University of Zagreb, Zagreb 10000, Croatia
Ivan Gudelj
Genos Glycoscience Research Laboratory, Zagreb 10000, Croatia; Department of Biotechnology, University of Rijeka, Rijeka 51000, Croatia; Corresponding author.
Rok Čivljak
Department for Acute Respiratory Infections, University Hospital for Infectious Diseases “Dr. Fran Mihaljević”, Zagreb 10000, Croatia; Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Zagreb 10000, Croatia
The essential role of immunoglobulin G (IgG) in immune system regulation and combatting infectious diseases cannot be fully recognized without an understanding of the changes in its N-glycans attached to the asparagine 297 of the fragment crystallizable (Fc) domain that occur under such circumstances. These glycans impact the antibody stability, half-life, secretion, immunogenicity, and effector functions. Therefore, in this study, we analyzed and compared the total IgG glycome—at the level of individual glycan structures and derived glycosylation traits (sialylation, galactosylation, fucosylation, and bisecting N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc))—of 64 patients with influenza, 77 patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), and 56 healthy controls. Our study revealed a significant decrease in IgG galactosylation, sialylation, and bisecting GlcNAc (where the latter shows the most significant decrease) in deceased COVID-19 patients, whereas IgG fucosylation was increased. On the other hand, IgG galactosylation remained stable in influenza patients and COVID-19 survivors. IgG glycosylation in influenza patients was more time-dependent: In the first seven days of the disease, sialylation increased and fucosylation and bisecting GlcNAc decreased; in the next 21 days, sialylation decreased and fucosylation increased (while bisecting GlcNAc remained stable). The similarity of IgG glycosylation changes in COVID-19 survivors and influenza patients may be the consequence of an adequate immune response to enveloped viruses, while the observed changes in deceased COVID-19 patients may indicate its deviation.
