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In a groundbreaking collaboration spanning continents, researchers from the University of California San Diego School of Medicine and the University of Leeds in the United Kingdom have identified a previously unknown syndrome associated with COVID-19. This discovery sheds light on a perplexing trend observed in patients with mild COVID-19 cases, revealing a rare autoimmune disease termed MDA5-autoantibody associated dermatomyositis (DM), which has been linked to severe lung complications and an alarming rate of mortality.
The journey towards uncovering this syndrome began with an email from Dennis McGonagle, Ph.D., professor of investigative rheumatology at the University of Leeds, to Dr. Pradipta Ghosh, M.D., a professor at UC San Diego School of Medicine. McGonagle’s email outlined a puzzling situation in Yorkshire, where despite a high vaccination rate against COVID-19, cases of a rare autoimmune disease were emerging among patients, some of whom had no recollection of COVID exposure.
“We had vaccinated around 90 percent of the Yorkshire population, but now they were seeing this very rare autoimmune disease called MDA5 — autoantibody associated dermatomyositis (DM) in patients who may or may not have contracted COVID, or even remember if they were exposed to it,” Ghosh recalled.
This unexpected turn of events prompted an international investigation, bringing together expertise from both sides of the Atlantic. The collaboration, detailed in a paper published in eBioMedicine, a journal by The Lancet, culminated in the identification of a novel syndrome, MDA5-autoimmunity and Interstitial Pneumonitis Contemporaneous with COVID-19 (MIP-C).
Utilizing advanced computational frameworks like the Boolean Network Explorer (BoNE), developed by Ghosh’s team at UC San Diego, researchers delved into data from patients exhibiting symptoms of MIP-C. They discovered a significant association between MDA5 response levels and interleukin-15, a cytokine implicated in progressive interstitial lung disease.
“The discovery of MIP-C underscores the complexity of COVID-19’s impact on the immune system,” Ghosh remarked. “Our findings suggest a potential avenue for further research into treatment options, particularly targeting interleukin-15.”
The collaborative effort involved a multidisciplinary team comprising researchers and students from both institutions, highlighting the power of cross-disciplinary cooperation in tackling complex medical challenges. Notably, the study received support from institutions such as the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Leeds Biomedical Research Centre and the National Institutes for Health (NIH).
While initially observed in Yorkshire, reports of MIP-C symptoms are emerging from various regions globally, underscoring the urgent need for further research and clinical vigilance. Ghosh emphasized the importance of international collaboration in combating emerging health threats and expressed hope that the identification of MIP-C would catalyze efforts to develop targeted therapies.
As the world continues to grapple with the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, discoveries like MIP-C serve as poignant reminders of the ongoing importance of scientific inquiry and collaboration in safeguarding global health.
