Autoantibodies against chemokines post-SARS-CoV-2 infection correlate with disease course

Infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 associates with diverse symptoms, which can persist for months. While antiviral antibodies are protective, those targeting interferons and other immune factors are associated with adverse coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outcomes. Here we discovered that antibodies against specific chemokines were omnipresent post-COVID-19, were associated with favorable disease outcome and negatively correlated with the development of long COVID at 1 yr post-infection. Chemokine antibodies were also present in HIV-1 infection and autoimmune disorders, but they targeted different chemokines compared with COVID-19. Monoclonal antibodies derived from COVID-19 convalescents that bound to the chemokine N-loop impaired cell migration. Given the role of chemokines in orchestrating immune cell trafficking, naturally arising chemokine antibodies may modulate the inflammatory response and thus bear therapeutic potential. Robbiani and colleagues show that antibodies against specific chemokines are detected in COVID-19 convalescents and may modulate the inflammatory response and disease outcome.

Automated summary

We found that antibodies against specific chemokines are commonly present in COVID-19 convalescents and are associated with favorable disease outcomes and a decreased risk of long COVID development at 1 year post-infection. These chemokine antibodies are also found in HIV-1 infection and autoimmune disorders, but target different chemokines compared to COVID-19. Monoclonal antibodies derived from COVID-19 convalescents that bind to the chemokine N-loop impair cell migration. Naturally occurring chemokine antibodies may modulate the inflammatory response and have therapeutic potential.