The triggering of post-COVID-19 autoimmunity phenomena could be associated with both transient immunosuppression and an inappropriate form of immune reconstitution in susceptible individuals

Abstract

With the progression of the COVID-19 pandemic, there have been different reports about the development of autoimmune diseases once the infection is controlled. After entering the respiratory epithelial cells, SARS-CoV-2—the virus that causes the disease—triggers a severe inflammatory state in some patients known as “cytokine storm” and the development of thrombotic phenomena—both conditions being associated with high mortality. Patients additionally present severe lymphopenia and, in some cases, complement consumption and autoantibody development. There is a normalization of lymphocytes once the infection is controlled. After this, autoimmune conditions of unknown etiology may occur. A hypothesis for the development of post-COVID-19 autoimmunity is proposed based on the consequences of both a transient immunosuppression (both of innate and acquired immunity) in which self-tolerance is lost and an inappropriate form of immune reconstitution that amplifies the process.