Plasma of COVID-19 patients does not alter electrical resistance of human endothelial blood-brain barrier in vitro.

Pociute, A.; Kriauciunaite, K.; Kausyle, A.; Zablockiene, B.; Alcauskas, T.; Jelinskaite, A.; Rudenaite, A.; Jancioriene, L.; Rocka, S.; Verkhratsky, A.; Pivoriunas, A.

doi:10.1101/2023.09.28.559927

bioRxiv · 10.1101/2023.09.28.559927

Plasma of COVID-19 patients does not alter electrical resistance of human endothelial blood-brain barrier in vitro.

Pociute, A.·Kriauciunaite, K.·Kausyle, A.·Zablockiene, B.·Alcauskas, T.·Jelinskaite, A.·Rudenaite, A.·Jancioriene, L.·Rocka, S.·Verkhratsky, A.·Pivoriunas, A.

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Abstract

The pandemic of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) instigated the most serious global health crisis. Clinical presentation of COVID-19 frequently includes severe neurological and neuropsychiatric symptoms. However, it is presently unknown whether and to which extent pathological impairment of blood-brain barrier (BBB) contributes to the development of neuropathology during COVID-19 progression. In the present study we used human induced pluripotent stem cells-derived brain endothelial cells (iBECs) to study the effects of blood plasma derived from COVID-19 patients on the BBB integrity in vitro. We also performed a comprehensive analysis of the cytokine and chemokine profiles in the plasma of COVID-19 patients, healthy and recovered individuals. We found significantly increased levels of interferon {gamma}-induced protein 10 kDa (IP-10), hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), and interleukin-18 (IL-18) in the plasma of COVID-19 patients. However, blood plasma from COVID-19 patients did not affect transendothelial electrical resistance (TEER) in iBEC monolayers. Our results demonstrate that COVID-19-associated blood plasma inflammatory factors do not impair BBB integrity directly and suggest that pathological remodelling of BBB during COVID-19 may occur through indirect mechanisms.

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Pociute, A., Kriauciunaite, K., Kausyle, A., Zablockiene, B., Alcauskas, T., Jelinskaite, A., Rudenaite, A., Jancioriene, L., Rocka, S., Verkhratsky, A., Pivoriunas, A.. 2023-09-29. Plasma of COVID-19 patients does not alter electrical resistance of human endothelial blood-brain barrier in vitro.. https://doi.org/10.1101/2023.09.28.559927

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