Janessa Yan Jun Tan, Danielle E Anderson, Abhay Ps Rathore, Aled O'Neill, Chinmay Kumar Mantri, Wilfried Aa Saron, Cheryl Qe Lee, Wern Cui Chu, Adrian Ez Kang, Randy Foo, Shirin Kalimuddin, Jenny G Low, Lena Ho, Paul Tambyah, Thomas W Burke, Christopher W Woods, Kuan Rong Chan, Joern Karhausen, Ashley L St John
Lung inflammation is a hallmark of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in severely ill patients and the pathophysiology of disease is thought to be immune-mediated. Mast cells (MCs) are polyfunctional immune cells present in the airways, where they respond to certain viruses and allergens, often promoting inflammation. We observed widespread degranulation of MCs during acute and unresolved airway inflammation in SARS-CoV-2-infected mice and non-human primates. Using a mouse model of MC-deficiency, MC-dependent interstitial pneumonitis, hemorrhaging, and edema in the lung were observed during SARS-CoV-2 infection...
August 10, 2023: Journal of Clinical Investigation