# Multiparametric mapping of Covid-19 immune responses in Kidney transplant recipients

> **NIH NIH U01** · ICAHN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AT MOUNT SINAI · 2021 · $598,676

## Abstract

Abstract
As of May 2020, over five million confirmed cases of COVID-19 have been reported globally with over 400,000
associated deaths. Around 5-20% of patients develop critical illness, which predominantly manifests as acute
respiratory distress syndrome. When this develops, the estimated mortality is around 40%, and as high as 80%
in ventilated patients. Several early reports describe the development of an excessive inflammatory response,
the so-called `cytokine storm', which is strongly associated with rapid deterioration in clinical condition and
mortality.
Early reports of kidney transplant recipients, who are at high risk due to chronic immunosuppression and
additional comorbid diseases, portray a concerning picture. In one series of 36 patients, 39% required
mechanical ventilation, 21% required renal replacement therapy, and 28% died. Of the 11 patients that were
intubated, 64% died. However, there is still an unmet need of understanding disease natural course, specific
risk factors, identifying biomarkers, as well as potential impact of COVID-19 on graft/patient survival in
vulnerable KTRs. To fill this information gap, we propose a comprehensive observational analysis of
epidemiological factors and immunological assay results in COVID19-infected KTRs at 2 medical centers at
the epicenter of COVID19 infection in NYC (Mount Sinai Hospital in Manhattan and Montefiore Hospital in the
Bronx). We hypothesize that specific recipient clinical characteristics affect COVID-19 clinical course
and that recipient immunosuppression in KTRs alters the ability of COVID-19 KTRs to develop
protective anti-COVID-19 humoral and cell-mediated immunity that contributes to the morbidity and
mortality of these individuals.
We will test this hypothesis by 1) examining risk factors of COVID-19 severity in a large dataset of KTRs and
individuals from the general population with COVID-19 (aim 1); 2) by characterizing the COVID-19 reactive
humoral and cellular immune response in serially collected samples from COVID-19 KTRs (aim 2); and 3) by
comprehensive assessment of DNA and serial serum, RNA, and PBMC from COVID-19 KTRs to identify
disease mechanisms and potentially informative biomarkers for outcomes (aim 3).
The proposed work is significant because of the high incidence of the disease, rate of community transmission,
high mortality, and absence of clearly effective therapeutic options. Our studies will be amongst the first to
define risk factors, predictors, and pathogenic mechanisms of COVID-19 in Kidney transplantation and may
apply to recipients of other transplanted organs, as well as to individuals on chronic immunosuppression due to
autoimmune diseases.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10241179
- **Project number:** 3U01AI063594-17S1
- **Recipient organization:** ICAHN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AT MOUNT SINAI
- **Principal Investigator:** Peter Scott Heeger
- **Activity code:** U01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $598,676
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2020-12-29 → 2021-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10241179

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10241179, Multiparametric mapping of Covid-19 immune responses in Kidney transplant recipients (3U01AI063594-17S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10241179. Licensed CC0.

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