The Potential Role of Extracellular Vesicles in COVID-19 Associated Endothelial injury and Pro-inflammation

COVID-19 infection caused by the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) has resulted in a global pandemic with the number of deaths growing exponentially. Early evidence points to significant endothelial dysfunction, micro-thromboses, pro-inflammation as well as a dysregulated immune response in the pathogenesis of this disease. In this study, we analyzed the cargo of EVs isolated from the plasma of patients with COVID-19 for the identification of potential biomarkers of disease severity and to explore their role in disease pathogenesis. Plasma-derived EVs were isolated from 53 hospitalized patients with COVID infection and compared according to the severity of the disease. Analysis of inflammatory and cardiovascular protein cargo of large EVs revealed significantly differentially expressed proteins for each disease sub-group. Notably, members of the TNF superfamily and IL-6 family were up-regulated in patients on oxygen support with severe and moderate disease. EVs from the severe group were also enhanced with pro-thrombotic/endothelial injury factors (TF, t-PA, vWF) and proteins associated with cardiovascular pathology (MB, PRSS8, REN, HGF). Significantly higher levels of TF, CD163, and EN-RAGE were observed in EVs from severe patients when compared to patients with a moderate disease requiring supplemental O2. Importantly, we also observed increased caspase 3/7 activity and decreased cell survival in human pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells exposed to EVs from the plasma of patients with severe disease compared to healthy controls. In conclusion, our findings indicate alterations in pro-inflammatory, coagulopathy, and endothelial injury protein cargo in large EVs in response to SARS-CoV-2 infection that may be a causative agent in severe illness.