The severity of COVID-19 in patients could potentially be predicted through the study of certain antibodies developed by the immune system, according to research conducted by the Drexel University’s College of Medicine. These antibodies, known as immunoglobulin M (IgM), are modified by sugar structures called glycans which significantly affect their function. The researchers noticed that changes in these glycans were closely tied to the severity of a patient’s COVID-19 infection. Therefore, the study of glycans present on IgM can provide vital information about the immune system’s response to COVID-19, especially severe forms of it.

The researchers embarked on this study as previous research had overlooked the significance of IgM antibodies. The alteration of the glycans on IgM antibodies by the immune system during the period of severe illness was a notable discovery by the Drexel team. The researchers tracked the progression of COVID-19 in patients over a 28-day period and noted that severe COVID-19 cases exhibited higher complement activity, a body mechanism used to combat pathogens. The researchers believed that this heightened complement activation could be due in part to the glycans on IgM antibodies.

The results of this study have promising implications. By identifying IgM glycans, doctors could potentially identify those patients at risk of severe COVID-19 at an early stage, contributing to enhanced patient management. Moreover, this knowledge could inform the creation of new immunotherapy approaches for viral diseases.

Looking ahead, the team aims at undertaking larger studies to validate their results and to examine the role of IgM and immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies in patients post-hospitalization. This could potentially offer insight into lingering long-term effects or post-acute symptoms of COVID-19, commonly known as ‘Long COVID.’

The study also highlighted two crucial aspects of translational research: the importance of collaboration and the indispensable role of patient participation. This was evident in the effort led by MD/PhD candidate Ben Haslund-Gourley, who brought together experts in glycobiology and immunology and was facilitated by patient involvement in part of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases study.

The article about this research also mentions that this effort was funded by the National Institutes of Health and features the research paper, “IgM N-glycosylation correlates with COVID-19 severity and rate of complement deposition, available on the Drexel’s official platform. The Drexel News team, a division of University Marketing and Communications, was responsible for sharing this research.

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