The researchers from the University and the University Hospital of Zurich examined over 6,500 proteins in the blood serum of 113 corona infected people and 39 healthy people, according to the study published on Thursday in the journal “Science”.
In the infected, 40 of whom developed Long Covid, they examined the blood pattern again after six and twelve months. They found a certain pattern of proteins in the blood serum of those affected by Long Covid that are related to a dysregulation of the so-called complement system. The complement system is part of the innate immune system and normally helps fight infections and remove damaged and infected cells in the body. “In patients with Long Covid, the complement system does not return to its resting state as it should,” explained study leader Onur Boyman, director of the Clinic for Immunology at Zurich University Hospital.
Damage to various cells in the body
In addition, the Long Covid patients showed increased blood levels for damage to various body cells, including red blood cells, platelets and blood vessels. “If the complement system remains activated, it attacks healthy cells in various organs and damages or destroys them,” says the immunologist. “With this finding, we have found another piece of the puzzle about Long Covid, which also explains why this disease can lead to such a wide range of symptoms,” said Boyman.
According to the immunologist, the new findings could not only contribute to a better understanding of the disease. The researchers were able to detect active Long Covid based on the protein pattern in the blood. According to Boyman, this could be used to diagnose Long Covid.
Test not suitable for everyday hospital use
However, the researchers used a complex procedure to discover the blood markers, which, according to Boyman, cannot be used in everyday hospital life. According to the immunologist, such a test would be extremely useful, for example to distinguish Long Covid from other diseases that lead to similar symptoms.
In addition, according to the study leader, a treatment for Long Covid could only be developed based on the findings on the role of the complement system. “There are already companies developing complement inhibitors,” emphasized Boyman. These inhibit the activity of certain components of the complement system. They are used to treat certain autoimmune diseases.
However, some researchers not involved in the study warn against hasty conclusions. It is still too early to derive direct therapeutic concepts from the new findings or even to enter directly into therapy studies, Gabor Petzold from the University Hospital of Bonn told the Science Media Center.
“Although there are already approved inhibitors of the complement system for other diseases, further studies must first be carried out in order to examine the findings obtained here in larger patient groups, which then also reflect the pronounced differences in Long Covid,” says Petzold.
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