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Case Report: Neutralization of Autoantibodies Targeting G-Protein-Coupled Receptors Improves Capillary Impairment and Fatigue Symptoms After COVID-19 Infection

Authors :
Bettina Hohberger
Thomas Harrer
Christian Mardin
Friedrich Kruse
Jakob Hoffmanns
Lennart Rogge
Felix Heltmann
Michael Moritz
Charlotte Szewczykowski
Julia Schottenhamml
Martin Kräter
Antonio Bergua
Matthias Zenkel
Andreas Gießl
Ursula Schlötzer-Schrehardt
Robert Lämmer
Martin Herrmann
Annekathrin Haberland
Peter Göttel
Johannes Müller
Gerd Wallukat
Source :
Frontiers in Medicine, Vol 8 (2021)
Publication Year :
2021
Publisher :
Frontiers Media S.A., 2021.

Abstract

Clinical features of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). Acute infection management is a substantial healthcare issue, and the development of long-Covid syndrome (LCS) is extremely challenging for patients and physicians. It is associated with a variety of characteristics as impaired capillary microcirculation, chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), proinflammatory cytokines, and functional autoantibodies targeting G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCR-AAbs). Here, we present a case report of successful healing of LCS with BC 007 (Berlin Cures, Berlin, Germany), a DNA aptamer drug with a high affinity to GPCR-AAbs that neutralizes these AAbs. A patient with a documented history of glaucoma, recovered from mild COVID-19, but still suffered from CFS, loss of taste, and impaired capillary microcirculation in the macula and peripapillary region. He was positively tested for various targeting GPCR-AAbs. Within 48 h after a single BC 007 treatment, GPCR-AAbs were functionally inactivated and remained inactive during the observation period of 4 weeks. This observation was accompanied by constant improvement of the fatigue symptoms of the patient, taste, and retinal capillary microcirculation. Therefore, the removal of GPCR-AAb might ameliorate the characteristics of the LCD, such as capillary impairment, loss of taste, and CFS.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
2296858X
Volume :
8
Database :
Directory of Open Access Journals
Journal :
Frontiers in Medicine
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsdoj.58ca098cedc4a768c86c2e58b7b46c2
Document Type :
article
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.3389/fmed.2021.754667