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SARS-CoV-2 can induce vascular dysfunction and thrombotic events in patients with severe COVID-19; however, the cellular and molecular mechanisms behind these effects remain largely unknown. In this study, we used a combination of experimental and in silico approaches to investigate the role of PC in vascular and thrombotic events in COVID-19. Single-cell RNA-sequencing data from patients with COVID-19 and healthy subjects were obtained from the publicly available Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) repository. In addition, HUVECs were treated with inactive protein C before exposure to SARS-CoV-2 infection or a severe COVID-19 serum. An RT-qPCR array containing 84 related genes was used, and the candidate genes obtained were evaluated. Activated protein C levels were measured using an ELISA kit. We identified at the single-cell level the expression of several pro-inflammatory and pro-coagulation genes in endothelial cells from the patients with COVID-19. Furthermore, we demonstrated that exposure to SARS-CoV-2 promoted transcriptional changes in HUVECs that were partly reversed by the activated protein C pretreatment. We also observed that the serum of severe COVID-19 had a significant amount of activated protein C that could protect endothelial cells from serum-induced activation. In conclusion, activated protein C protects endothelial cells from pro-inflammatory and pro-coagulant effects during exposure to the SARS-CoV-2 virus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article summarizes a study that investigated the presence and viability of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in breast milk samples from postpartum women. The study found that the virus's genetic material could be detected in breast milk, but there was no evidence of the virus being able to replicate. These findings support the recommendation to continue breastfeeding even if the mother has a SARS-CoV-2 infection. However, more research is needed to understand the impact of vaccination on the presence and viability of the virus in breast milk. The study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the University of Campinas. [Extracted from the article]