Single-cell analysis of two severe COVID-19 patients reveals a monocyte-associated and tocilizumab-responding cytokine storm

Chuang Guo, Bin Li, Huan Ma, Xiaofang Wang, Pengfei Cai, Qiaoni Yu, Lin Zhu, Liying Jin, Chen Jiang, Jingwen Fang, Qian Liu, Dandan Zong, Wen Zhang, Yichen Lu, Kun Li, Xuyuan Gao, Binqing Fu, Lianxin Liu, Xiaoling Ma, Jianping Weng, Haiming Wei, Tengchuan Jin (), Jun Lin () and Kun Qu ()
Additional contact information
Chuang Guo: University of Science and Technology of China
Bin Li: University of Science and Technology of China
Huan Ma: University of Science and Technology of China
Xiaofang Wang: University of Science and Technology of China
Pengfei Cai: University of Science and Technology of China
Qiaoni Yu: University of Science and Technology of China
Lin Zhu: University of Science and Technology of China
Liying Jin: University of Science and Technology of China
Chen Jiang: University of Science and Technology of China
Jingwen Fang: HanGene Biotech, Xiaoshan Innovation Polis
Qian Liu: University of Science and Technology of China
Dandan Zong: University of Science and Technology of China
Wen Zhang: University of Science and Technology of China
Yichen Lu: University of Science and Technology of China
Kun Li: University of Science and Technology of China
Xuyuan Gao: University of Science and Technology of China
Binqing Fu: University of Science and Technology of China
Lianxin Liu: University of Science and Technology of China
Xiaoling Ma: University of Science and Technology of China
Jianping Weng: University of Science and Technology of China
Haiming Wei: University of Science and Technology of China
Tengchuan Jin: University of Science and Technology of China
Jun Lin: University of Science and Technology of China
Kun Qu: University of Science and Technology of China

Nature Communications, 2020, vol. 11, issue 1, 1-11

Abstract: Abstract Several studies show that the immunosuppressive drugs targeting the interleukin-6 (IL-6) receptor, including tocilizumab, ameliorate lethal inflammatory responses in COVID-19 patients infected with SARS-CoV-2. Here, by employing single-cell analysis of the immune cell composition of two severe-stage COVID-19 patients prior to and following tocilizumab-induced remission, we identify a monocyte subpopulation that contributes to the inflammatory cytokine storms. Furthermore, although tocilizumab treatment attenuates the inflammation, immune cells, including plasma B cells and CD8+ T cells, still exhibit robust humoral and cellular antiviral immune responses. Thus, in addition to providing a high-dimensional dataset on the immune cell distribution at multiple stages of the COVID-19, our work also provides insights into the therapeutic effects of tocilizumab, and identifies potential target cell populations for treating COVID-19-related cytokine storms.

Date: 2020
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-17834-w

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