1. PD-L1 Overexpression in the Lungs of Subjects Who Died from COVID-19: Are We on the Way to Understanding the Immune System Exhaustion Induced by SARS-CoV-2?
- Author
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Elvira La Mantia, Federica Zito Marino, Noè De Stefano, Marta Moccia, Francesco De Micco, Antonio Fico, Carmela Giordano, Emilia Municinò, Lamberto Pianese, Carmen Sementa, Omero Pinto, Maurizio Municinò, Renato Franco, Carlo Pietro Campobasso, Pasquale Mascolo, Andrea Ronchi, Francesco Vestini, Oscar Nappi, Giovanni Zotti, Emma Carraturo, Ronchi, A, Marino, Fz, Carraturo, E, La Mantia, E, Campobasso, Cp, De Micco, F, Mascolo, P, Municinò, M, Mucininò, E, Vestini, F, Pinto, O, Moccia, M, De Stefano, N, Nappi, O, Sementa, C, Zotti, G, Pianese, L, Giordano, C, Fico, A, and Franco, R.
- Subjects
Lung ,Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) ,SARS-CoV-2 ,business.industry ,PDL-1, Covid-19, immune system ,Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) ,COVID-19 ,PD-L1 Overexpression ,B7-H1 Antigen ,Immune system ,medicine.anatomical_structure ,Immune System ,Immunology ,Genetics ,medicine ,Humans ,business ,Molecular Biology - Abstract
Knowledge of the pathogenic mechanisms of severe acute respiratory syndrome-associated coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is certainly a priority for the scientific community. Two main elements are involved in the biology of the most severe forms of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19): the direct cytopathic effect of the virus against the host tissues, and a dysfunction of the immune system, characterized by the exhaustion of T lymphocytes. The exhaustion of T cells in COVID-19 is poorly understand, but some data could suggest a possible role of PD-1/PD-L1 axis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the possible role of PD-L1 expression in the pulmonary tissue in subjects affected by COVID-19. The presence of SARS-CoV-2 in the pulmonary tissue, and its exact location, was indagated by in situ hybridization; the expression of PD-L1 and CD8 in the same tissue was indagated by immunohistochemistry. Overall, PD-L1 resulted diffusely expressed in 70% of the cases, and an intense expression was observed in 43.5% of cases. Diffuse and intense presence of SARS-CoV-2 by in situ hybridization significantly correlated with an intense PD-L1 expression, and with expression of PD-L1 by pneumocytes. PD-L1 is overexpressed in the pulmonary tissue of subjects died from COVID-19, and mainly in subjects with a high viral load. These data suggest a possible role of PD-L1 in the immune system exhaustion at the basis of the severe forms of the disease.
- Published
- 2022
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