AUTHOR=Xiang Qun , Feng Zeqing , Diao Bo , Tu Chao , Qiao Qinghua , Yang Han , Zhang Yi , Wang Gang , Wang Huiming , Wang Chenhui , Liu Liang , Wang Changsong , Liu Longding , Chen Rong , Wu Yuzhang , Chen Yongwen TITLE=SARS-CoV-2 Induces Lymphocytopenia by Promoting Inflammation and Decimates Secondary Lymphoid Organs JOURNAL=Frontiers in Immunology VOLUME=12 YEAR=2021 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/immunology/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2021.661052 DOI=10.3389/fimmu.2021.661052 ISSN=1664-3224 ABSTRACT=
While lymphocytopenia is a common characteristic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the mechanisms responsible for this lymphocyte depletion are unclear. Here, we retrospectively reviewed the clinical and immunological data from 18 fatal COVID-19 cases, results showed that these patients had severe lymphocytopenia, together with high serum levels of inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-8 and IL-10), and elevation of many other mediators in routine laboratory tests, including C-reactive protein, lactate dehydrogenase, α-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase and natriuretic peptide type B. The spleens and hilar lymph nodes (LNs) from six additional COVID-19 patients with post-mortem examinations were also collected, histopathologic detection showed that both organs manifested severe tissue damage and lymphocyte apoptosis in these six cases.