Effect of immunoadsorption on clinical presentation and immune alterations in COVID-19-induced and/or aggravated ME/CFS

Moritz Anft; Lea Wiemers; Kamil S Rosiewicz; Adrian Doevelaar; Sarah Skrzypczyk; Julia Kurek; Sviatlana Kaliszczyk; Maximilian Seidel; Ulrik Stervbo; Felix S Seibert; Timm H Westhoff; Nina Babel

doi:10.1016/j.ymthe.2025.01.007

Effect of immunoadsorption on clinical presentation and immune alterations in COVID-19-induced and/or aggravated ME/CFS

Mol Ther. 2025 Jan 10:S1525-0016(25)00011-5. doi: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2025.01.007. Online ahead of print.

Affiliations

¹ Center for Translational Medicine and Immune Diagnostics Laboratory, Medical Department I, Marien Hospital Herne, University Hospital of the Ruhr-University Bochum, Hölkeskampring 40, 44625 Herne, Germany.
² Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies, and Institute of Medical Immunology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353 Berlin, Germany.
³ Center for Translational Medicine and Immune Diagnostics Laboratory, Medical Department I, Marien Hospital Herne, University Hospital of the Ruhr-University Bochum, Hölkeskampring 40, 44625 Herne, Germany; Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies, and Institute of Medical Immunology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353 Berlin, Germany.
⁴ Center for Translational Medicine and Immune Diagnostics Laboratory, Medical Department I, Marien Hospital Herne, University Hospital of the Ruhr-University Bochum, Hölkeskampring 40, 44625 Herne, Germany; Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies, and Institute of Medical Immunology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353 Berlin, Germany. Electronic address: nina.babel@charite.de.

PMID: 39797400
DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2025.01.007

Abstract

Autoantibodies (AABs) are currently being investigated as causative or aggravating factors during post-COVID. In this study, we analyze the effect of immunoadsorption therapy on symptom improvement and the relationship with immunological parameters in post-COVID patients exhibiting symptoms of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) induced or aggravated by an SARS-CoV-2 infection. This observational study includes 12 post-COVID patients exhibiting a predominance of ME/CFS symptoms alongside increased concentrations of autonomic nervous system receptor (ANSR) autoantibodies and neurological impairments. We found that following immunoadsorption therapy, the ANSR AABs were nearly eliminated from the patients' blood. The removal of immunoglobulin G antibodies was accompanied by a decrease of pro-inflammatory cytokines including interleukin (IL)-4, IL-2, IL-1β, tumor necrosis factor, and IL-17A serum levels, and a significant reduction of soluble spike protein. Notably, a strong positive correlation between pro-inflammatory cytokines and ASNR-AABs β1, β2, M3, and M4 was observed in spike protein-positive patients, whereas no such correlation was evident in spike protein-negative patients. Thirty days post-immunoadsorption therapy, patients exhibited notable improvement in neuropsychological function and a modest but statistically significant amelioration of hand grip strength was observed. However, neither self-reported symptoms nor scores on ME/CFS questionnaires showed a significant improvement and a rebound of the removed proteins occurring within a month.

Keywords: GPCR autoantibodies; SARS-CoV-2; immunoadsorption; post-Covid; spike protein.