Plasma CXCL13 and fibrosis biomarkers in COVID-19 compared with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
Abstract
COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted global health, particularly evident in the detection of lung lesions via chest computed tomography scans. This study investigates the role of biomarkers in lung injury among COVID-19 patients and patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). This single-center prospective study included 154 hospitalized and 10 outpatient COVID-19 patients, 62 IPF patients, and 40 healthy volunteers, and evaluated biomarkers of alveolar epithelial cell dysfunction, extracellular matrix (ECM) and fibroblast dysfunction, and macrophage/monocyte activation (Galectin-3, CXCL13). Findings were further validated in an independant confirmation cohort (DisCoVeRy trial). COVID-19 patients had higher levels of biomarkers compared to healthy controls, except for SP-D. Compared to IPF patients, COVID-19 patients had significantly higher plasma levels of OPN, Galectin-3 and CXCL13 at admission. Elevated CXCL13 and Galectin-3 levels in COVID-19 were associated with greater lung injury. Multivariate logistic regression and Kaplan Meier analysis confirmed the role of CXCL13 in predicting severe lung injury (odd ratio 3.17, 95% CI 1.03–9.76) and in-hospital mortality (p = 0.04), with consistent results observed in the confirmation cohort. COVID-19 is characterized by increased ECM and macrophage activation biomarkers compared with IPF. CXCL13 may serve as a relevant biomarker for assessing lung injury and improving risk stratification at hospital admission.
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BibTeX
@article{gendron2026plasma,
title = {{Plasma CXCL13 and fibrosis biomarkers in COVID-19 compared with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis}},
author = {Nicolas Gendron and Carla Rial and Clément Massonnaud and An Nguyen and Aurélien Philippe and Katharina Rus and Hilario Nunes and Olivier Sanchez and Jean-Luc Diehl and Nathan Peiffer-Smadja and Maya Hites and Jeanne Rancic and Yazdan Yazdanpanah and France Mentré and Florence Ader and Dominique Israel-Biet and Olivier Espitia and David Smadja and Sandrine Couffin-Cadièrgues and Hélène Esperou and Bernd Lamprecht and Michael Joannidis and Alexander Egle and Richard Greil and Antoine Altdorfer and Vincent Fraipont and Leila Belkhir and David Bougon and Félix Djossou and Loïc Epelboin and Jean Dellamonica and Charles-Hugo Marquette and Claire Andrejak and Yoann Zerbib and Catherine Chirouze and Alexandre Boyer and Charles Cazanave and Didier Gruson and Denis Malvy and Pascal Andreu and Jean-Pierre Quenot and Nicolas Terzi and Karine Faure and Cyrille Chabartier and Vincent Le Moing and Kada Klouche and Tristan Ferry and Florent Valour and Benjamin Gaborit and Emmanuel Canet and Paul Le Turnier and David Boutoille and Fabrice Bani-Sadr and François Benezit and Matthieu Revest and Claire Cameli and Amandine Caro and Marie-Julie Ngo Um Tegue and Yves Le Tulzo and Bruno Laviolle},
journal = {Scientific Reports},
year = {2026},
month = jun,
doi = {10.1038/s41598-026-55451-7},
url = {https://univ-rennes.hal.science/hal-05679214v1},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Plasma CXCL13 and fibrosis biomarkers in COVID-19 compared with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
AU - Nicolas Gendron
AU - Carla Rial
AU - Clément Massonnaud
AU - An Nguyen
AU - Aurélien Philippe
AU - Katharina Rus
AU - Hilario Nunes
AU - Olivier Sanchez
AU - Jean-Luc Diehl
AU - Nathan Peiffer-Smadja
AU - Maya Hites
AU - Jeanne Rancic
AU - Yazdan Yazdanpanah
AU - France Mentré
AU - Florence Ader
AU - Dominique Israel-Biet
AU - Olivier Espitia
AU - David Smadja
AU - Sandrine Couffin-Cadièrgues
AU - Hélène Esperou
AU - Bernd Lamprecht
AU - Michael Joannidis
AU - Alexander Egle
AU - Richard Greil
AU - Antoine Altdorfer
AU - Vincent Fraipont
AU - Leila Belkhir
AU - David Bougon
AU - Félix Djossou
AU - Loïc Epelboin
AU - Jean Dellamonica
AU - Charles-Hugo Marquette
AU - Claire Andrejak
AU - Yoann Zerbib
AU - Catherine Chirouze
AU - Alexandre Boyer
AU - Charles Cazanave
AU - Didier Gruson
AU - Denis Malvy
AU - Pascal Andreu
AU - Jean-Pierre Quenot
AU - Nicolas Terzi
AU - Karine Faure
AU - Cyrille Chabartier
AU - Vincent Le Moing
AU - Kada Klouche
AU - Tristan Ferry
AU - Florent Valour
AU - Benjamin Gaborit
AU - Emmanuel Canet
AU - Paul Le Turnier
AU - David Boutoille
AU - Fabrice Bani-Sadr
AU - François Benezit
AU - Matthieu Revest
AU - Claire Cameli
AU - Amandine Caro
AU - Marie-Julie Ngo Um Tegue
AU - Yves Le Tulzo
AU - Bruno Laviolle
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/06/25
JO - Scientific Reports
DO - 10.1038/s41598-026-55451-7
UR - https://univ-rennes.hal.science/hal-05679214v1
AB - COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted global health, particularly evident in the detection of lung lesions via chest computed tomography scans. This study investigates the role of biomarkers in lung injury among COVID-19 patients and patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). This single-center prospective study included 154 hospitalized and 10 outpatient COVID-19 patients, 62 IPF patients, and 40 healthy volunteers, and evaluated biomarkers of alveolar epithelial cell dysfunction, extracellular matrix (ECM) and fibroblast dysfunction, and macrophage/monocyte activation (Galectin-3, CXCL13). Findings were further validated in an independant confirmation cohort (DisCoVeRy trial). COVID-19 patients had higher levels of biomarkers compared to healthy controls, except for SP-D. Compared to IPF patients, COVID-19 patients had significantly higher plasma levels of OPN, Galectin-3 and CXCL13 at admission. Elevated CXCL13 and Galectin-3 levels in COVID-19 were associated with greater lung injury. Multivariate logistic regression and Kaplan Meier analysis confirmed the role of CXCL13 in predicting severe lung injury (odd ratio 3.17, 95% CI 1.03–9.76) and in-hospital mortality (p = 0.04), with consistent results observed in the confirmation cohort. COVID-19 is characterized by increased ECM and macrophage activation biomarkers compared with IPF. CXCL13 may serve as a relevant biomarker for assessing lung injury and improving risk stratification at hospital admission.
SN - 2045-2322
ER -