Profound Treg perturbations correlate with COVID-19 severity

Abstract

Significance Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are responsible for restraining excessive inflammation, a hallmark of COVID-19. We identified a striking phenotype in Tregs from patients with severe disease, as well as an interesting role for interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-18. An increased suppressive profile, including increased Treg proportions, combined with the expression of proinflammatory mediators, distinguished severe patients and persisted in some of those recovered. This phenotype is in notable similarity to that found in tumor-infiltrating Tregs, which are generally associated with poor prognosis, and suggests both a detrimental role for these cells in COVID-19 as well as a potential explanation for some of the still largely unexplored complications associated with recovery.

Cited by papers we hold 4

• Severity-specific immune landscape of COVID-19 revealed by single-cell sequencing · 2025
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• An atlas of cells in the human tonsil · 2024
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• Long-term perturbation of the peripheral immune system months after SARS-CoV-2 infection · 2022
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• Fast and Efficient Genome Editing of Human FOXP3+ Regulatory T Cells · 2021
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