Evidence for SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein in the Urine of COVID-19 Patients.

Abstract

Background:

SARS-CoV-2 infection has, as of April 2021, affected >133 million people worldwide, causing >2.5 million deaths. Because the large majority of individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2 are asymptomatic, major concerns have been raised about possible long-term consequences of the infection.

Methods:

Wedeveloped an antigen capture assay to detect SARS-CoV-2 spike protein in urine samples from patients with COVID-19whose diagnosis was confirmed by positive PCR results from nasopharyngeal swabs (NP-PCR+) forSARS-CoV-2. We used a collection of 233 urine samples from 132 participants from Yale New Haven Hospital and the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia that were obtained during the pandemic (106 NP-PCR+ and 26 NP-PCR-), and a collection of 20 urine samples from 20 individuals collected before the pandemic.

Results:

Our analysis identified 23 out of 91 (25%) NP-PCR+ adult participants with SARS-CoV-2 spike S1 protein in urine (Ur-S+). Interestingly, although all NP-PCR+ children were Ur-S-, one child who was NP-PCR- was found to be positive for spike protein in their urine. Of the 23 adults who were Ur-S+, only one individual showed detectable viral RNA in urine. Our analysis further showed that 24% and 21% of adults who were NP-PCR+ had high levels of albumin and cystatin C, respectively, in their urine. Among individuals with albuminuria (>0.3 mg/mg of creatinine), statistical correlation could be found between albumin and spike protein in urine.

Conclusions:

Together, our data showed that one of four individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2 develop renal abnormalities, such as albuminuria. Awareness about the long-term effect of these findings is warranted.

• Authors: Santosh George, Anasuya Chattopadhyay Pal, Jacqueline Gagnon, Sushma Timalsina, Pallavi Singh, Pratap Vydyam, Muhammad Munshi, Joy E Chiu, Isaline Renard, Christina A Harden, Isabel M Ott, Anne E Watkins, Chantal B F Vogels, Peiwen Lu, Maria Tokuyama, Arvind Venkataraman, Arnau Casanovas-Massana, Anne L Wyllie, Veena Rao, Melissa Campbell, Shelli F Farhadian, Nathan D Grubaugh, Charles S Dela Cruz, Albert I Ko, Amalia Z Berna Perez, Elikplim H Akaho, Dennis G Moledina, Jeffrey Testani, Audrey R John, Michel Ledizet, Choukri Ben Mamoun, and the Yale IMPACT Team
• Journal: Kidney360 (Kidney360) Vol. 2 Issue 6 Pg. 924-936 (06 24 2021) ISSN: 2641-7650 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 35373072 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2021 by the American Society of Nephrology.

Chemical References

• Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus
• spike protein, SARS-CoV-2

Topics

• Adult
• COVID-19 (diagnosis)
• Child
• Humans
• Pandemics
• SARS-CoV-2 (genetics)
• Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus (genetics)