SEVERE COVID-19 IS ASSOCIATED WITH A NEUTROPHIL ACTIVATED PROFILE

BLEICHMAR, LUCÍA; MAZZITELLI, IGNACIO; LUDUEÑA, MARÍA GUILLERMINA; FINOCCHIETO, PAOLA; PAULIN, FRANCISCO; HORMANOSTORFER, M; BARETTO, MARÍA CONSTANZA; ADANZA, SANTIAGO PIOMBI; PARODI, MARÍA NOEL; RAGUSA, MARTÍN; MELUCCI GANZARAIN, CLAUDIA; A.PALETTA; DI DIEGO GARCIA, FACUNDO; LEICAJ, LUZ; PEREZ, PAULA; CEBALLOS, ANA; GEFFNER, JORGE

Virtual

Congreso; Reunion anual de Sociedades de Biociencia; 2020

SAI SAIC SAFIS

Severe COVID-19 is strongly associated to the development of asystemic inflammatory response. It is well established that the activation of monocytes, macrophages and platelets plays a critical rolein severe COVID-19. However, the role of neutrophils has not beendefined. Here we analyzed the phenotype and function of peripheralblood neutrophils in COVID-19 patients. Neutrophils were purifiedfrom peripheral blood by conventional procedures (% purity >97%).In a first set of experiments we analyzed the spontaneous production of IL-8 by neutrophils cultured for 18 h. Neutrophils from severeCOVID-19 patients produced higher levels of IL-8 compared withhealthy donors: 158 ± 30 pg/ml (n= 12) vs 672 ± 249 pg/ml (n=11,p< 0.05). No significant differences were observed for patients withmild or moderate disease. Neutrophils from COVID-19 patients alsoshowed a higher expression of CD11b (n=10, p