‘Long Covid’ or medical complications associated with a post SARS Covid 2 infection, are a significant post-viral complication that is being more and more commonly reported in patients. Therefore, there is an increasing need to understand the disease mechanisms, identify drug targets and inflammatory processes associated with a Sars-CoV-2 infection. To address this need, we created a targeted mass spectrometry based multiplexed panel of 96 immune response associated proteins. We applied the multiplex assay to a cohort of serum samples from asymptomatic and moderately affected patients. All patients had tested positive for a Sars-CoV-2 infection by PCR and were determined to be subsequently positive for antibodies. Even 40-60 days post-viral infection, we observed a significant remaining inflammatory response in all patients. Proteins that were still affected were associated with the anti-inflammatory response and mitochondrial stress. This indicates that biochemical and inflammatory pathways within the body can remain perturbed long after SARS-CoV2 infections have subsided even in asymptomatic and moderately affected patients.

Experiment of 3 injections measuring peptides for a set of inflammatory associated proteins in patient serum. Protein identifiers are gene /protein name and first 3 amino acids of the peptide. Full list f proteins are given in manuscript. Serum was precipitated, digested and SPE cleaned. An intact protein internal standard was added for quantitation. Peptides were measured on a C18 Aquity column over 15 min ACN gradient.

20 patient samples labelled Neg 1-10 and pos 1-10 Samples labelled CalMatrix consist of serum with custom peptide spiked in at increasing amounts of 0-1pmol loaded on the column for purpose of identifying the correct peak.