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[Preprint]. 2020 Dec 11:2020.11.11.20229724.
doi: 10.1101/2020.11.11.20229724.

Epidemiological and immunological features of obesity and SARS-CoV-2

Eric J Nilles  1   2   3   4 , Sameed M Siddiqui  5   6 , Stephanie Fischinger  7 , Yannic C Bartsch  7 , Michael de Saint Aubin  3 , Guohai Zhou  1   2 , Matthew J Gluck  8   9 , Samuel Berger  8 , Justin Rhee  8 , Eric Petersen  8 , Benjamin Mormann  1   8 , Michael Loesche  1   8 , Zhilin Chen  7 , Jingyou Yu  7   10 , Makda Gebre  7   10 , Caroline Atyeo  7 , Matthew J Gorman  7 , Alex Lee Zhu  7 , John Burke  7 , Matthew Slein  7 , Mohammad A Hasdianda  1   2 , Guruprasad Jambaulikar  1   2 , Edward Boyer  1   2 , Pardis Sabeti  4   6   10   11 , Dan H Barouch  6   12 , Boris D Julg  6 , Adam J Kucharski  13 , Elon R Musk  8 , Douglas A Lauffenburger  14 , Galit Alter  4   6 , Anil S Menon  8
Affiliations

Epidemiological and immunological features of obesity and SARS-CoV-2

Eric J Nilles et al. medRxiv. .

Update in

  • Epidemiological and Immunological Features of Obesity and SARS-CoV-2.
    Nilles EJ, Siddiqui SM, Fischinger S, Bartsch YC, de St Aubin M, Zhou G, Gluck MJ, Berger S, Rhee J, Petersen E, Mormann B, Loesche M, Hu Y, Chen Z, Yu J, Gebre M, Atyeo C, Gorman MJ, Zhu AL, Burke J, Slein M, Hasdianda MA, Jambaulikar G, Boyer EW, Sabeti PC, Barouch DH, Julg B, Kucharski AJ, Musk ER, Lauffenburger DA, Alter G, Menon AS. Nilles EJ, et al. Viruses. 2021 Nov 6;13(11):2235. doi: 10.3390/v13112235. Viruses. 2021. PMID: 34835041 Free PMC article.

Abstract

Obesity is a key correlate of severe SARS-CoV-2 outcomes while the role of obesity on risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection, symptom phenotype, and immune response are poorly defined. We examined data from a prospective SARS-CoV-2 cohort study to address these questions. Serostatus, body mass index, demographics, comorbidities, and prior COVID-19 compatible symptoms were assessed at baseline and serostatus and symptoms monthly thereafter. SARS-CoV-2 immunoassays included an IgG ELISA targeting the spike RBD, multiarray Luminex targeting 20 viral antigens, pseudovirus neutralization, and T cell ELISPOT assays. Our results from a large prospective SARS-CoV-2 cohort study indicate symptom phenotype is strongly influenced by obesity among younger but not older age groups; we did not identify evidence to suggest obese individuals are at higher risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection; and, remarkably homogenous immune activity across BMI categories suggests natural- and vaccine-induced protection may be similar across these groups.

Keywords: COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; epidemiology; immunity; obesity.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.. Forest plots of adjusted odds ratio for seropositivity by BMI as a categorical variable with normal BMI (18·5-<25) as reference.
(A) Includes participants with BMI measures and demonstrates a non-significant trend to declining seroprevalence with BMI ≥40 kg/m2 when compared to normal/healthy weight (BMI 18·5–24 kg/m2) (n=4270). (B) Includes only participants from a single high seroprevalence (22·5%) location in South Texas where the high force of infection may more clearly delineate infection risks (n=629).
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Forest plot of odds ratios of reported COVID-19 compatible symptoms among obese (n=85) versus non-obese (n=179) SARS-CoV-2 seropositive individuals
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Forest plot of odds ratios of COVID-19 compatible symptoms among obese versus non-obese SARS-CoV-2 seropositive individuals stratified by (A) <40 years (n=195) and (B) ≥ 40 years (n=67)
Figure 4.
Figure 4.. Limited influence of BMI on SARS-CoV-2 antibody profiles (n=77).
(A) The dot plots show similar mean fluorescent intensity levels of IgG1, IgM, IgG3, and IgA levels across individuals classified as normal weight (n=29), overweight (n=23), and obese (n=25). (B) The uniform manifold approximation and projection (UMAP) shows the relationship between antibody profiles and BMI (dot size, color intensity), highlighting the limited influence of BMI on shaping SARS-CoV-2 antibody responses. (C) Correlation plot of shows limited correlation between BMI and 20 immunological features.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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