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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Cell. Infect. Microbiol.
Sec. Virus and Host
Volume 14 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fcimb.2024.1498491
This article is part of the Research Topic Perspectives in Virus and Host: 2024 View all articles

Unveiling the Hidden Link: Elevated Platelets and T Cell Subsets in 5% of Moderate COVID-19 Patients 48 Days Post-Onset

Provisionally accepted
Hui An Hui An Ting Li Ting Li Lanting Yang Lanting Yang Xinyue Zhang Xinyue Zhang Hao Hu Hao Hu Chen Zhang Chen Zhang Yongyu Wang Yongyu Wang Shengwei Jin Shengwei Jin Ming Li Ming Li *
  • Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Platelets are hyperactivated during acute COVID-19, promoting clotting and modulating immune-cell responses. Immune thrombocytopenia in adults can manifest as an uncommon complication resulting from various viral infections or as a rare adverse event associated with vaccination. However, their role in convalescent COVID-19 patients remains underexplored. This study examines platelet dynamics early in the pandemic, 48 days post-symptom onset, in unvaccinated patients. This longitudinal study included 298 unvaccinated COVID-19 patients (17 mild, 281 moderate) from multiple centers. Clinical evaluations and peripheral lymphocyte subset analyses via flow cytometry were conducted upon admission and on day 48 post-symptom onset (DPSO 48). At DPSO 48, 5.3% of moderate COVID-19 patients exhibited high platelet counts (>300×10 9 /L), associated with elevated total T-cells (26.4%), CD4 T-cells (24.4%), CD8 T-cells (36.9%), and Tregs (33.9%) compared to patients with normal platelet counts. However, the CD4/CD8 T-cell ratio and T-cell subset frequencies remained unaffected, indicating ongoing T-cell homeostasis restoration. Additionally, a significant positive correlation (r=0.636, p=0.03) was found between platelet counts and B cells in patients with elevated platelet counts. Thus, platelets may play a crucial role in modulating immune homeostasis during COVID-19 recovery. Targeting platelets and their secreted mediators may enhance immune balance in patients with immune disorders.

    Keywords: COVID-19, LC, Platelet, T cell subsets, Immune homeostasis

    Received: 19 Sep 2024; Accepted: 18 Oct 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 An, Li, Yang, Zhang, Hu, Zhang, Wang, Jin and Li. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Ming Li, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.