Do miRNAs plus cytokines flag deadly COVID-19?
In 166 hospitalized COVID-19 patients, combining 171 microRNAomes with 25 cytokines discriminated severe disease better than either alone; CCL20, IL6, IL10, and miR-451a were key fatality correlates.
Source
Integrated miRNA/cytokine/chemokine profiling reveals severity-associated step changes and principal correlates of fatality in COVID-19
Study at a glance
- Design
- Cohort — Two-centre UK COVID-19 cohort integrating circulating microRNAomes with 25 cytokines/chemokines, including leftover hospital blood
- N
- N=166 · 166 patients (Cohort 1 n=58 with 171 microRNAomes; Cohort 2 n=108); 337 samples from 4 hospitals
- Population
- Hospitalized COVID-19 patients in two UK centres (including leftover-blood sampling)
- Outcome
- Discrimination of severe vs milder COVID-19 and correlates of fatal disease (CC + miRNA signature)
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Inspect source passages
Do miRNAs plus cytokines flag deadly COVID-19?
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171 microRNAomes from 58 Cohort-1 patients.
we determined 171 microRNAomes from 58 hospitalized COVID-19 patients (Cohort 1) and levels of 25 cytokines and chemokines (CC) in the same samples.
337 samples from 166 patients at 4 hospitals.
including whole miRNAome and multiplex CC analysis of 337 samples from 166 patients from 4 hospitals and two different geographical locations in the UK.
What they did
Profiled 171 microRNAomes and 25 cytokines/chemokines in 58 Cohort-1 patients, then tested leftover-blood CC/miRNA profiling in 108 Cohort-2 patients from another centre (337 samples, 4 UK hospitals).
What they found
miRNA+CC classified severe cases more accurately than miRNA or CC alone. Severity-specific miRNA–CC links (e.g., IL6, CCL20) separated patients with similar cytokine levels. An 8 CC / 3 miRNA fatal-disease signature included CCL20, IL6, IL10, and miR-451a. Leftover hospital blood was feasible.
The limits
What it doesn't show
Associations in hospitalized UK patients do not prove these miRNAs cause death or that the signature should triage care without prospective validation.
Key terms
- microRNAome
- The set of circulating microRNAs measured in plasma; 171 profiles in Cohort 1.
- Cytokines/chemokines (CC)
- 25 inflammatory proteins measured alongside miRNAs (e.g., IL6, IL10, CCL20).
- miR-451a
- Circulating microRNA highlighted as a key correlate of fatal COVID-19.
- CCL20
- Chemokine in the fatal-disease signature along with IL6 and IL10.
- Leftover blood cohort
- Cohort 2 used residual hospital samples to test real-world feasibility.
- Severity-specific networks
- miRNA–CC correlations that appear in severe disease even when cytokine levels look similar.
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Total patients profiled:
Common questions
How many patients?
166 (58+108) with 337 samples from 4 UK hospitals.
How many microRNAomes in Cohort 1?
171 from 58 hospitalized patients.
Did combining help?
Yes—miRNA+CC beat either alone for severe-case discrimination.
Fatal-disease correlates?
8 CC / 3 miRNA signature including CCL20, IL6, IL10, and miR-451a.
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