T cell immunity and myocardial inflammation in patients recovering from COVID-19 infection

Complete

04/03/2021

COVID-19

North East

Diagnostic

Awarded amount: £147,649

Grant scheme: Covid

Institution: Newcastle University

Principle Investigator: Prof Ioakim Spyridopoulos

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This project centred around exploring the role of the immune system in long term heart inflammation, within the specific context of COVID-19 infection.

The aims of the project were three-fold, first to identify blood markers of heart inflammation, then understand the mechanism of this inflammation and finally to explore potential drug therapeutic targets.

Using a novel technique known as “spectral cytometry”, the team were able to analyse frozen blood samples from over 200 patients that had contracted a mild form of COVID-19 but had persisting heart-based symptoms.

The main finding of the project was that the loss of a protein called PD-1 was linked to long term inflammation of the heart. Vaccination 6 months after infection partially recovered PD-1 function, with a strong hypothesis that early vaccination could prevent the occurrence of PD-1 loss, and subsequent cardiac inflammation.

This finding presents potential routes for the prevention and treatment of heart inflammation in long COVID. The project’s results are influential and are currently under a degree of embargo until the point of publication.

A publication is being prepared for Nature Medicine and further grants will be sought upon successful publication.