Studying blood plasma samples from COVID-19 patients, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have identified specific proteins that may help predict which patients may need to be placed on ventilators to breathe and which are most likely to die of the virus.
The results were published March 14 in the journal iScience.
Cruchaga, also the Barbara Burton and Reuben M. Morriss III Professor of Psychiatry, studied plasma samples from 332 COVID-19 patients admitted to Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis and compared them to plasma samples from 150 people who had not been infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Because the samples were obtained as patients were being admitted to the hospital, the proteins linked to worse COVID-19 outcomes were identified long before any patients actually were placed on ventilators or died from the virus.
To study the proteins in the blood plasma, the researchers used a technique called high-throughput proteomics to identify overexpression and underexpression—also known as dysregulation—of the proteins. The scientists conducted additional testing to distinguish which of the proteins actually caused severe illness from those that became dysregulated as a result of severe illness.
Although the research team identified a large number of proteins that were altered in patients with COVID-19, they determined that the presence of any of 32 proteins that become dysregulated during COVID infection indicated that patients would require breathing assistance from a ventilator. They identified another five proteins that, when found to be altered in blood plasma as a result of the virus, indicated likelihood of death for the patient.
“Many of the proteins we identified were related to inflammation and to the body’s immune response, for example, so it wasn’t surprising to find them altered by COVID infection,” Cruchaga said. “But a subset of these proteins raised the likelihood that patients would need ventilation or go on to die. Using these proteomics approaches, we now have a methodology that allows us to predict problems, and that can be very important for clinical practice.”
To further test their findings, the researchers studied similar proteomics data from 297 COVID-19 patients and 76 controls at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston and found that the same proteins indicated the eventual need for ventilators and the likelihood of death in both groups of patients.
The study involved blood plasma from patients hospitalized during the initial surge of patients with COVID-19, so it’s not clear whether precisely the same proteins would lead to ventilation and death from infection with later variants of the virus, Cruchaga said. However, the same approach of using high-throughput proteomics likely could be used to validate or identify suspect proteins in other variants, he said. The strategy may even be useful with completely different viruses, he added.
The research also showed that some of the proteins that were dysregulated during COVID-19 infection were linked to coronary artery disease and Alzheimer’s disease pathways, confirming that COVID-19 can increase the risk for these disorders.
“That was a surprising finding, because this project was not focused on those issues,” Cruchaga said. “Some of the proteins we identified are causal proteins in Alzheimer’s pathology, and others are used as biomarkers for Alzheimer’s disease, both in the blood and in the cerebrospinal fluid. COVID infection altered the levels of those biomarkers to the point where if someone was to go to the clinic for a blood test, the neurologist might even diagnose that patient as having Alzheimer’s disease, when in fact what the blood test is revealing is that the patient recently had COVID-19.
“This is a good example of how high-throughput approaches are going to help us understand that COVID is not only a disease affecting the lungs but one that also affects the brain and the heart.”
Cruchaga added that this study provides a biological basis for understanding some of the symptoms associated with long COVID-19. And he said it’s possible that studying these proteins in blood plasma potentially could identify people at high risk for developing such symptoms after COVID infection.
“Although fewer people are dying from COVID-19 these days, its impact on memory in people who are cognitively normal and on disease progression in people who already have cognitive problems is of concern,” he said.

News
Nano-Enhanced Hydrogel Strategies for Cartilage Repair
A recent article in Engineering describes the development of a protein-based nanocomposite hydrogel designed to deliver two therapeutic agents—dexamethasone (Dex) and kartogenin (KGN)—to support cartilage repair. The hydrogel is engineered to modulate immune responses and promote [...]
New Cancer Drug Blocks Tumors Without Debilitating Side Effects
A new drug targets RAS-PI3Kα pathways without harmful side effects. It was developed using high-performance computing and AI. A new cancer drug candidate, developed through a collaboration between Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), BridgeBio Oncology [...]
Scientists Are Pretty Close to Replicating the First Thing That Ever Lived
For 400 million years, a leading hypothesis claims, Earth was an “RNA World,” meaning that life must’ve first replicated from RNA before the arrival of proteins and DNA. Unfortunately, scientists have failed to find [...]
Why ‘Peniaphobia’ Is Exploding Among Young People (And Why We Should Be Concerned)
An insidious illness is taking hold among a growing proportion of young people. Little known to the general public, peniaphobia—the fear of becoming poor—is gaining ground among teens and young adults. Discover the causes [...]
Team finds flawed data in recent study relevant to coronavirus antiviral development
The COVID pandemic illustrated how urgently we need antiviral medications capable of treating coronavirus infections. To aid this effort, researchers quickly homed in on part of SARS-CoV-2's molecular structure known as the NiRAN domain—an [...]
Drug-Coated Neural Implants Reduce Immune Rejection
Summary: A new study shows that coating neural prosthetic implants with the anti-inflammatory drug dexamethasone helps reduce the body’s immune response and scar tissue formation. This strategy enhances the long-term performance and stability of electrodes [...]
Scientists discover cancer-fighting bacteria that ‘soak up’ forever chemicals in the body
A family of healthy bacteria may help 'soak up' toxic forever chemicals in the body, warding off their cancerous effects. Forever chemicals, also known as PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), are toxic chemicals that [...]
Johns Hopkins Researchers Uncover a New Way To Kill Cancer Cells
A new study reveals that blocking ribosomal RNA production rewires cancer cell behavior and could help treat genetically unstable tumors. Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center and the Department of Radiation Oncology and Molecular [...]
AI matches doctors in mapping lung tumors for radiation therapy
In radiation therapy, precision can save lives. Oncologists must carefully map the size and location of a tumor before delivering high-dose radiation to destroy cancer cells while sparing healthy tissue. But this process, called [...]
Scientists Finally “See” Key Protein That Controls Inflammation
Researchers used advanced microscopy to uncover important protein structures. For the first time, two important protein structures in the human body are being visualized, thanks in part to cutting-edge technology at the University of [...]
AI tool detects 9 types of dementia from a single brain scan
Mayo Clinic researchers have developed a new artificial intelligence (AI) tool that helps clinicians identify brain activity patterns linked to nine types of dementia, including Alzheimer's disease, using a single, widely available scan—a transformative [...]
Is plastic packaging putting more than just food on your plate?
New research reveals that common food packaging and utensils can shed microscopic plastics into our food, prompting urgent calls for stricter testing and updated regulations to protect public health. Beyond microplastics: The analysis intentionally [...]
Aging Spreads Through the Bloodstream
Summary: New research reveals that aging isn’t just a local cellular process—it can spread throughout the body via the bloodstream. A redox-sensitive protein called ReHMGB1, secreted by senescent cells, was found to trigger aging features [...]
AI and nanomedicine find rare biomarkers for prostrate cancer and atherosclerosis
Imagine a stadium packed with 75,000 fans, all wearing green and white jerseys—except one person in a solid green shirt. Finding that person would be tough. That's how hard it is for scientists to [...]
Are Pesticides Breeding the Next Pandemic? Experts Warn of Fungal Superbugs
Fungicides used in agriculture have been linked to an increase in resistance to antifungal drugs in both humans and animals. Fungal infections are on the rise, and two UC Davis infectious disease experts, Dr. George Thompson [...]
Scientists Crack the 500-Million-Year-Old Code That Controls Your Immune System
A collaborative team from Penn Medicine and Penn Engineering has uncovered the mathematical principles behind a 500-million-year-old protein network that determines whether foreign materials are recognized as friend or foe. How does your body [...]