Background: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which is associated with various neurological symptoms, including nausea, dizziness, headache, encephalitis, and epileptic seizures. SARS-CoV-2 is considered to affect the central nervous system (CNS) by interacting with the blood-brain barrier (BBB), which is defined by tight junctions that seal paracellular gaps between brain microvascular endothelial cells (BMECs). Although SARS-CoV-2 infection of BMECs has been reported, the detailed mechanism has not been fully elucidated.
Methods: Using the original strain of SARS-CoV-2, the infection in BMECs was confirmed by a detection of intracellular RNA copy number and localization of viral particles. BMEC functions were evaluated by measuring transendothelial electrical resistance (TEER), which evaluates the integrity of tight junction dynamics, and expression levels of proinflammatory genes. BMEC signaling pathway was examined by comprehensive RNA-seq analysis.
Results: We observed that iPSC derived brain microvascular endothelial like cells (iPSC-BMELCs) were infected with SARS-CoV-2. SARS-CoV-2 infection resulted in decreased TEER. In addition, SARS-CoV-2 infection decreased expression levels of tight junction markers CLDN3 and CLDN11. SARS-CoV-2 infection also increased expression levels of proinflammatory genes, which are known to be elevated in patients with COVID-19. Furthermore, RNA-seq analysis revealed that SARS-CoV-2 dysregulated the canonical Wnt signaling pathway in iPSC-BMELCs. Modulation of the Wnt signaling by CHIR99021 partially inhibited the infection and the subsequent inflammatory responses.
Conclusion: These findings suggest that SARS-CoV-2 infection causes BBB dysfunction via Wnt signaling. Thus, iPSC-BMELCs are a useful in vitro model for elucidating COVID-19 neuropathology and drug development.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12987-024-00533-9 | DOI Listing |
Pediatr Infect Dis J
October 2024
From the Section of Critical Care Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado.
Background: When coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) mitigation efforts waned, viral respiratory infections (VRIs) surged, potentially increasing the risk of postviral invasive bacterial infections (IBIs). We sought to evaluate the change in epidemiology and relationships between specific VRIs and IBIs [complicated pneumonia, complicated sinusitis and invasive group A streptococcus (iGAS)] over time using the National COVID Cohort Collaborative (N3C) dataset.
Methods: We performed a secondary analysis of all prospectively collected pediatric (<19 years old) and adult encounters at 58 N3C institutions, stratified by era: pre-pandemic (January 1, 2018, to February 28, 2020) versus pandemic (March 1, 2020, to June 1, 2023).
J Pediatr Health Care
December 2024
Introduction: Understanding caregiver willingness to participate in pediatric clinical research is needed. We examined caregiver perceptions of pediatric clinical research during COVID-19 and examined research attitudes and sociodemographic factors as predictors of willingness.
Methods: A cross-sectional telephone survey was administered to caregivers of children from August 2020 to April 2021.
Pol J Vet Sci
December 2024
Pasteur Institute of Novi Sad, Hajduk Veljkova 1, 21101 Novi Sad, Serbia.
Constant antigenic changes, new variants and easy transmission of SARS-CoV-2 virus should acquire greater zoonotic attention and need to remain alert. In this retrospective study the aim was to analyze seropositivity to SARS-CoV-2 in dogs by commercial ELISA. The Virus neutralization test (VNT) was modified for the purpose of confirmation of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in ELISA-positive dog sera.
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December 2024
Department of Cardiology, Tel Aviv Medical Center and School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
Background: Information about left atrial (LA) 2-dimensional (2D) strain parameters in patients with the Omicron variant of COVID-19 is limited. The aim of this study is to evaluate LA strain (LAS) in COVID-19 patients with the Omicron variant and compare it to that of propensity-matched patients with the wild-type (WT) variant.
Methods: A total of 148 consecutive patients who were hospitalized with Omicron COVID-19 underwent an echocardiographic evaluation within the first day after hospital admission and were compared to propensity-matched patients (1:1) with the WT variant.
Iran J Parasitol
January 2024
Department of Internal Medicine, Marmara University Pendik Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
Malaria has become widespread, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, owing to disruptions experienced during the Covid-19 pandemic. Both cerebral malaria and acute kidney injury are important indicators of severe malaria. Depending on the degree of acute renal failure, hemodialysis/hemofiltration treatment is required.
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