Longitudinal transcriptomic analysis reveals persistent enrichment of iron homeostasis and erythrocyte function pathways in severe COVID-19 ARDS.

Introduction: The acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a common complication of severe COVID-19 and contributes to patient morbidity and mortality. ARDS is a heterogeneous syndrome caused by various insults, and results in acute hypoxemic respiratory failure. Patients with ARDS from COVID-19 may represent a subgroup of ARDS patients with distinct molecular profiles that drive disease outcomes.

Synergy Between NK Cells and Monocytes in Potentiating Cardiovascular Disease Risk in Severe COVID-19.

Background: Evidence suggests that COVID-19 predisposes to cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). While monocytes/macrophages play a central role in the immunopathogenesis of atherosclerosis, less is known about their immunopathogenic mechanisms that lead to CVDs during COVID-19. Natural killer (NK) cells, which play an intermediary role during pathologies like atherosclerosis, are dysregulated during COVID-19.

The calcineurin-NFATc pathway modulates the lipid mediators in BAL fluid extracellular vesicles, thereby regulating microvascular endothelial cell barrier function.

Extracellular vesicles mediate intercellular communication by transporting biologically active macromolecules. Our prior studies have demonstrated that the nuclear factor of activated T cell cytoplasmic member 3 (NFATc3) is activated in mouse pulmonary macrophages in response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Inhibition of NFATc3 activation by a novel cell-permeable calcineurin peptide inhibitor CNI103 mitigated the development of acute lung injury (ALI) in LPS-treated mice.

SCARLET (Supplemental Citicoline Administration to Reduce Lung injury Efficacy Trial): study protocol for a single-site, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, and randomized Phase 1/2 trial of i.v. citicoline (CDP-choline) in hospitalized SARS CoV-2-infected patients with hypoxemic acute respiratory failure.

Background: The SARS CoV-2 pandemic has resulted in more than 1.1 million deaths in the USA alone. Therapeutic options for critically ill patients with COVID-19 are limited.

Risk of Neuroinflammatory Diseases Among New Recipients of Biologic and Targeted Synthetic Disease-Modifying Antirheumatic Drugs.

Objective: Neuroinflammatory adverse events have been observed among new users of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors. No studies to date have compared the real-world risk of TNFs with other new users of biologic or targeted synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (b/tsDMARDs). The objective of this study is to describe the risk of neuroinflammatory disease after initiation b/tsDMARDs.