Elevated Plasma Soluble C-Type Lectin-like Receptor 2 Is Associated with the Worsening of Coronavirus Disease 2019

• Published in: Journal of clinical medicine 2022-02, Vol.11 (4), p.985
• Main Authors: Wada, Hideo, Ichikawa, Yuhuko, Ezaki, Minoru, Yamamoto, Akitaka, Tomida, Masaki, Yoshida, Masamichi, Fukui, Shunsuke, Moritani, Isao, Shiraki, Katsuya, Shimaoka, Motomu, Iba, Toshiaki, Suzuki-Inoue, Katsue, Shimpo, Hideto
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biomarkers; Clinical medicine; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; Mortality
• ISSN: 2077-0383; 2077-0383
• DOI: 10.3390/jcm11040985

Although thrombosis in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection has attracted attention, the mechanism underlying its development remains unclear. The relationship between platelet activation and the severity of COVID-19 infection was compared with that involving other infections. Plasma soluble C-type lectin-like receptor 2 (sCLEC-2) levels were measured in 46 patients with COVID-19 infection and in 127 patients with other infections. The plasma sCLEC-2 levels in patients with COVID-19 infection {median (25th, 75th percentile), 489 (355, 668) ng/L} were significantly higher ( < 0.001) in comparison to patients suffering from other pneumonia {276 (183, 459) ng/L}, and the plasma sCLEC-2 levels of COVID-19 patients with severe {641 (406, 781) ng/L} or critical illness {776 (627, 860) ng/L} were significantly higher ( < 0.01, respectively) in comparison to those with mild illness {375 (278, 484) ng/L}. The ratio of the sCLEC-2 levels to platelets in COVID-19 patients with critical illness of infection was significantly higher ( < 0.01, < 0.001 and < 0.05, respectively) in comparison to COVID-19 patients with mild, moderate or severe illness. Plasma sCLEC-2 levels were significantly higher in patients with COVID-19 infection than in those with other infections, suggesting that platelet activation is triggered and facilitated by COVID-19 infection.