Human Immune Cells Reveal Signatures of COVID-19 Severity

Study in a Sentence: Researchers demonstrated that longitudinal immune response signals in cells collected directly from COVID-19 patients can predict the severity of patient outcomes.

Healthy for Humans: There are significant patient-to-patient differences in the way COVID-19 progresses, complicating treatment and prognosis and highlighting the need for personalized clinical strategies. This study provides high-resolution clues about the human immune response to COVID-19 over time, which can inform such personalized strategies. 

Redefining Research: Researchers used a method called CITE-seq to measure gene expression and molecular immune profiles in immune cells gathered directly from patients at different stages of disease progression. These measures were then associated with disease severity over time, revealing detailed immune signatures linked with differences in disease severity and outcome, which may allow more patient-specific treatment and monitoring.