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. 2024 Aug 22;17(1):233.
doi: 10.1186/s13104-024-06875-9.

Evaluation of circulating microvesicles and their procoagulant activity in patients with COVID-19

Akbar Hashemi Tayer  1 , Hossein Kargar Jahromi  2 , Maryam Kamravan  2 , Farzad Farhangdoost  2 , Tara Ahmadi  3 , Mohammadhossein Kolaei  3
Affiliations

Evaluation of circulating microvesicles and their procoagulant activity in patients with COVID-19

Akbar Hashemi Tayer et al. BMC Res Notes. .

Abstract

Objective: Several pathological conditions trigger the formation of microvesicles (MVs), including infectious diseases such as COVID-19. The shedding of MVs increases the levels of inflammatory factors (e.g., interleukin-6; IL-6) and ultimately leads to an inflammatory cascade response, while also increasing the procoagulant response. The current study aimed to evaluate the level of circulating MVs and their procoagulant activity as well as the serum level of IL-6 in patients with COVID-19 and healthy controls. In this case-control study, 65 patients with COVID-19 and 30 healthy individuals were sampled after obtaining written informed consent. MVs counting was measured using conjugated CD61, CD45, CD235a, and Annexin-V antibodies. Additionally, the procoagulant activity of MVs and the IL-6 level were estimated using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

Results: The majority of MVs were platelet-derived MVs (PMVs). Patients with COVID-19 had significantly higher levels of MVs, procoagulant MVs, and IL-6 compared to healthy controls (p < 0.001). MVs were significantly correlated with procoagulant MVs, D-Dimer levels, fibrinogen, and IL-6, but not with platelet, lymphocyte, and neutrophil counts.

Conclusion: Elevated levels of procoagulant MVs and their association with inflammatory and coagulation markers in patients with COVID-19 are suggested as a novel circulatory biomarker to evaluate and predict the procoagulant activity and severity of COVID-19.

Keywords: COVID-19; Coagulation; Interleukin-6; Microvesicles; Platelet.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
IL-6 assay protocol using ELISA
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Flowcytometric graphs of MVs: FSC and SSC represent the size and granularity of MVs, respectively. Using 1.0 μm beads, the size range of MVs was determined. (a) The two specified ranges under the headings R1 and R2 represent MVs and 1.0 μm beads, respectively. According to FSC and SSC, the MVs gate was lower than beads. (b) Logarithmic histogram of FSC versus MVs count, which shows the distribution of MVs compared to beads. (c) A graph of beads and buffer only without plasma
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
MVs enumeration in patients and healthy subjects
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Evaluation of procoagulant activity of MVs expressing PS
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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