Altered mitochondrial respiration in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection
Sahera Dirajlal‐Fargo, David P. Maison, Jared Durieux, Anastasia Andrukhiv, Nicholas Funderburg, Kate Ailstock, Mariana Gerschenson, Grace A. McComsey
Abstract
Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) mitochondrial respiration was measured ex vivo from participants without a history of COVID (n = 19), with a history of COVID and full recovery (n = 20), and with PASC (n = 20). Mean mitochondrial basal respiration, ATP-linked respiration, maximal respiration, spare respiration capacity, ATP-linked respiration, and non-mitochondrial respiration were highest in COVID + PASC+ (p ≤ 0.04). Every unit increase in non-mitochondrial respiration, ATP-linked respiration, basal respiration, spare respiration capacity, and maximal respiration increased the predicted odds of PASC between 1 % and 6 %. Mitochondrial dysfunction in PBMCs may be contributing to the etiology of PASC.