- Silva, Camila Meirelles S;
- Wanderley, Carlos Wagner S;
- Veras, Flavio Protasio;
- Gonçalves, Augusto Velozo;
- Lima, Mikhael Haruo Fernandes;
- Toller-Kawahisa, Juliana Escher;
- Gomes, Giovanni Freitas;
- Nascimento, Daniele Carvalho;
- Monteiro, Valter V Silva;
- Paiva, Isadora Marques;
- Almeida, Cícero José Luíz Ramos;
- Caetité, Diego Brito;
- Silva, Juliana Costa;
- Lopes, Maria Isabel Fernandes;
- Bonjorno, Letícia Pastorelli;
- Giannini, Marcela Cavichioli;
- Amaral, Natalia Brasil;
- Benatti, Maíra Nilson;
- Santana, Rodrigo Carvalho;
- Damasceno, Luis Eduardo Alves;
- Silva, Bruna Manuella Souza;
- Schneider, Ayda Henriques;
- Castro, Icaro Maia Santos;
- Silva, Juan Carlo Santos;
- Vasconcelos, Amanda Pereira;
- Gonçalves, Tiago Tomazini;
- Batah, Sabrina Setembre;
- Rodrigues, Tamara Silva;
- Costa, Victor Ferreira;
- Pontelli, Marjorie Cornejo;
- Martins, Ronaldo B;
- Martins, Timna Varela;
- Espósito, Danillo Lucas Alves;
- Cebinelli, Guilherme Cesar Martelossi;
- da Fonseca, Benedito Antônio Lopes;
- Leiria, Luiz Osório Silveira;
- Cunha, Larissa Dias;
- Arruda, Eurico;
- Nakaia, Helder I;
- Fabro, Alexandre Todorovic;
- Oliveira, Rene DR;
- Zamboni, Dario S;
- Louzada-Junior, Paulo;
- Cunha, Thiago Mattar;
- Alves-Filho, José Carlos Farias;
- Cunha, Fernando Queiroz
Abstract:
Background:
The release of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) is associated with inflammation, coagulopathy, and organ damage found in severe cases of COVID-19. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the release of NETs in COVID-19 remain unclear.
Objectives:
We aim to investigate the role of the Gasdermin-D (GSDMD) pathway on NETs release and the development of organ damage during COVID-19.
Methods:
We performed a single-cell transcriptome analysis in public data of bronchoalveolar lavage. Then, we enrolled 63 hospitalized patients with moderate and severe COVID-19. We analyze in blood and lung tissue samples the expression of GSDMD, presence of NETs, and signaling pathways upstreaming. Furthermore, we analyzed the treatment with disulfiram in a mouse model of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Results:
We found that the SARS-CoV-2 virus directly activates the pore-forming protein GSDMD that triggers NET production and organ damage in COVID-19. Single-cell transcriptome analysis revealed that the expression of GSDMD and inflammasome-related genes were increased in COVID-19 patients. High expression of active GSDMD associated with NETs structures was found in the lung tissue of COVID-19 patients. Furthermore, we showed that activation of GSDMD in neutrophils requires active caspase1/4 and live SARS-CoV-2, which infects neutrophils. In a mouse model of SARS-CoV-2 infection, the treatment with disulfiram inhibited NETs release and reduced organ damage.
Conclusion:
These results demonstrated that GSDMD-dependent NETosis plays a critical role in COVID-19 immunopathology and suggests GSDMD as a novel potential target for improving the COVID-19 therapeutic strategy.