Journal Article

DKFZ-2025-00428

http://join2-wiki.gsi.de/foswiki/pub/Main/Artwork/join2_logo100x88.png The cellular and molecular cardiac tissue responses in human inflammatory cardiomyopathies after SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 vaccination.

Maatz, H. ; Lindberg, E. L. ; Adami, E. ; López-Anguita, N. ; Perdomo-Sabogal, A. ; Cocera Ortega, L. ; Patone, G. ; Reichart, D. ; Myronova, A. ; Schmidt, S. ; Elsanhoury, A. ; Klein, O. ; Kühl, U. ; Wyler, E. ; Landthaler, M. ; Yousefian, S. ; Haas, S.DKFZ* ; Kurth, F. ; Teichmann, S. A. ; Oudit, G. Y. ; Milting, H. ; Noseda, M. ; Seidman, J. G. ; Seidman, C. E. ; Heidecker, B. ; Sander, L. E. ; Sawitzki, B. ; Klingel, K. ; Doeblin, P. ; Kelle, S. ; Van Linthout, S. ; Hubner, N. ; Tschöpe, C.

2025
Nature Publishing Group UK London

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Please use a persistent id in citations: doi:10.1038/s44161-025-00612-6

Abstract: Myocarditis, characterized by inflammatory cell infiltration, can have multiple etiologies, including severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection or, rarely, mRNA-based coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination. The underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms remain poorly understood. In this study, we performed single-nucleus RNA sequencing on left ventricular endomyocardial biopsies from patients with myocarditis unrelated to COVID-19 (Non-COVID-19), after SARS-CoV-2 infection (Post-COVID-19) and after COVID-19 vaccination (Post-Vaccination). We identified distinct cytokine expression patterns, with interferon-γ playing a key role in Post-COVID-19, and upregulated IL16 and IL18 expression serving as a hallmark of Post-Vaccination myocarditis. Although myeloid responses were similar across all groups, the Post-Vaccination group showed a higher proportion of CD4+ T cells, and the Post-COVID-19 group exhibited an expansion of cytotoxic CD8+ T and natural killer cells. Endothelial cells showed gene expression changes indicative of vascular barrier dysfunction in the Post-COVID-19 group and ongoing angiogenesis across all groups. These findings highlight shared and distinct mechanisms driving myocarditis in patients with and without a history of SARS-CoV-2 infection or vaccination.

Note: 2025 Mar;4(3):330-345

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Contributing Institute(s):

1. DKTK Koordinierungsstelle Berlin (BE01)

Research Program(s):

1. 899 - ohne Topic (POF4-899) (POF4-899)

Appears in the scientific report 2025

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Database coverage:
; BIOSIS Previews ; Biological Abstracts ; Clarivate Analytics Master Journal List ; DEAL Nature ; Emerging Sources Citation Index ; SCOPUS ; Web of Science Core Collection

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