Researchers identify five plasma proteins related to severe COVID-19

Just as oil is essential to keep a car’s motor running, blood is essential to keep the body functioning. The presence of particular proteins in the plasma, the liquid component of blood, may signal the presence of a disease or indicate the severity of a condition. Now, researchers in Japan have uncovered several key plasma proteins that are related to severe COVID-19. In a new study published in Journal of Clinical Immunology, a research team led by Osaka University used a novel blood screening method to analyze proteins in plasma samples from two large patient cohorts and identified five proteins associated with the development of severe COVID-19. COVID-19 is associated with inflammation, and excessive inflammation may lead to organ failure. One method to assess inflammation in the body is to evaluate proteins circulating in the blood plasma. The team set out to identify specific plasma proteins that may reflect the severity of...