Issue 2, 2021

A digital protein microarray for COVID-19 cytokine storm monitoring

Abstract

Despite widespread concern regarding cytokine storms leading to severe morbidity in COVID-19, rapid cytokine assays are not routinely available for monitoring critically ill patients. We report the clinical application of a digital protein microarray platform for rapid multiplex quantification of cytokines from critically ill COVID-19 patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) at the University of Michigan Hospital. The platform comprises two low-cost modules: (i) a semi-automated fluidic dispensing/mixing module that can be operated inside a biosafety cabinet to minimize the exposure of the technician to the virus infection and (ii) a 12–12–15 inch compact fluorescence optical scanner for the potential near-bedside readout. The platform enabled daily cytokine analysis in clinical practice with high sensitivity (<0.4 pg mL−1), inter-assay repeatability (∼10% CV), and rapid operation providing feedback on the progress of therapy within 4 hours. This test allowed us to perform serial monitoring of two critically ill patients with respiratory failure and to support immunomodulatory therapy using the selective cytopheretic device (SCD). We also observed clear interleukin-6 (IL-6) elevations after receiving tocilizumab (IL-6 inhibitor) while significant cytokine profile variability exists across all critically ill COVID-19 patients and to discover a weak correlation between IL-6 to clinical biomarkers, such as ferritin and C-reactive protein (CRP). Our data revealed large subject-to-subject variability in patients' response to COVID-19, reaffirming the need for a personalized strategy guided by rapid cytokine assays.

Graphical abstract: A digital protein microarray for COVID-19 cytokine storm monitoring

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
02 יול 2020
Accepted
13 נוב 2020
First published
13 נוב 2020

Lab Chip, 2021,21, 331-343

Author version available

A digital protein microarray for COVID-19 cytokine storm monitoring

Y. Song, Y. Ye, S. Su, A. Stephens, T. Cai, M. Chung, M. K. Han, M. W. Newstead, L. Yessayan, D. Frame, H. D. Humes, B. H. Singer and K. Kurabayashi, Lab Chip, 2021, 21, 331 DOI: 10.1039/D0LC00678E

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements