Inflammatory micro clots in blood of individuals suffering from Long
COVID

Date:
October 4, 2021
Source:
Stellenbosch University
Summary:
Researchers have found an overload of various inflammatory
molecules, 'trapped' inside insoluble microscopic blood clots (micro
clots), in the blood of individuals suffering from Long COVID.



FULL STORY ==========================================================================
New research indicates that an overload of various inflammatory molecules, literally "trapped" inside insoluble microscopic blood clots (micro
clots), might be the cause of some of the lingering symptoms experienced
by individuals with Long COVID.


==========================================================================
This unexpected finding was made by Prof Resia Pretorius, a researcher
in the Department of Physiological Science at Stellenbosch University
(SU), when she started looking at micro clots and their molecular content
in blood samples from individuals with Long COVID. The findings have
since been peer-reviewed and published in the journal Cardiovascular Diabetology in August 2021.

"We found high levels of various inflammatory molecules trapped in
micro clots present in the blood of individuals with Long COVID. Some
of the trapped molecules contain clotting proteins such as fibrinogen,
as well as alpha(2)- antiplasmin," Prof Pretorius explains.

Alpha(2)-antiplasmin is a molecule that prevents the breakdown of
blood clots, while fibrinogen is the main clotting protein. Under normal conditions the body's plasmin-antiplasmin system maintains a fine balance between blood clotting (the process by which blood thickens and coagulate
to prevent blood loss after an injury) and fibrinolysis (the process of breaking down the fibrin in the coagulated blood to prevent blood clots
from forming).

With high levels of alpha(2)-antiplasmin in the blood of COVID-19 patients
and individuals suffering from Long COVID, the body's ability to break
down the clots are significantly inhibited.

The insolubility of the micro clots became apparent when Dr Mare' Vlok,
a senior analyst in the Mass Spectrometry Unit at SU's Central Analytical Facilities, noted that the blood plasma samples from individuals with
acute COVID and Long COVID continued to deposit insoluble pellets at
the bottom of the tubes after dilution (a process called trypsinization).

He alerted Prof Pretorius to this observation and she investigated
it further.

They are now the first research group to have reported on finding
micro clots in the blood samples from individuals with Long COVID,
using fluorescence microscopy and proteomics analysis, thereby solving
yet another puzzle associated with the disease.

"Of particular interest is the simultaneous presence of persistent
anomalous micro clots and a pathological fibrinolytic system," they write
in the research paper. This implies that the plasmin and antiplasmin
balance may be central to pathologies in Long COVID, and provides
further evidence that COVID-19, and now Long COVID, have significant cardiovascular and clotting pathologies.

Further research is recommended into a regime of therapies to support
clotting and fibrinolytic system function in individuals with lingering
Long COVID symptoms.

Working with vascular internist Dr Jaco Laubscher from Mediclinic
Stellenbosch (a co-author on the article), they now plan to perform
the same analysis on a larger sample of patients. To date they have
collected blood from one hundred Long COVID individuals who participated
in the Long COVID registry which launched in May 2021, as well as from 30 healthy individuals. The research is funded by the Long COVID Research Charitable Trust, a trust established with an initial donation made by
Mr Koos Pretorius from ENSafrica. It is intended that this trust will
be used as a vehicle to raise further funds for research into the causes
and effective treatment of people suffering from Long COVID.

========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by Stellenbosch_University. Original
written by Wiida Fourie-Basson. Note: Content may be edited for style
and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Etheresia Pretorius, Mare Vlok, Chantelle Venter, Johannes A.

Bezuidenhout, Gert Jacobus Laubscher, Janami Steenkamp, Douglas
B. Kell.

Persistent clotting protein pathology in Long COVID/Post-Acute
Sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC) is accompanied by increased levels
of antiplasmin.

Cardiovascular Diabetology, 2021; 20 (1) DOI:
10.1186/s12933-021-01359-7 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/10/211004104134.htm

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