Immunology of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome After COVID-19 in Children: A Review of the Current Evidence

Overview

Journal Int J Mol Sci

Publisher MDPI

Specialties Biochemistry
Chemistry
Molecular Biology

Date 2023 Mar 29

PMID 36982783

Authors

Filippos Filippatos

Elizabeth-Barbara Tatsi

Athanasios Michos

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Immune responses following severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in children are still under investigation. Even though coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is usually mild in the pediatric population, some children exhibit severe clinical manifestations, require hospitalization, or develop the most severe condition: a multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection. The activated innate, humoral and T-cell-mediated immunological pathways that lead certain pediatric populations to present with MIS-C or remain asymptomatic after SARS-CoV-2 infection are yet to be established. This review focuses on the immunological aspects of MIS-C with respect to innate, humoral, and cellular immunity. In addition, presents the role of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein as a superantigen in the pathophysiological mechanisms, discusses the great heterogeneity among the immunological studies in the pediatric population, and highlights possible reasons why some children with a certain genetic background present with MIS-C.

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