Fig. 3. Immune response signatures at hospital admission differentiated between severity groups.

(A) Hierarchical clustering of the 305 proteins exhibiting differential abundances among the five TGs, based on one-way ANOVA. Each row represents a protein, and each cell represents the protein abundance (Z-scored) (the red represents an up-regulation; blue represents a down-regulation; gray represents missing values). Samples were ordered on the basis of increased severity from the mildest (TG1) to the most severe group (TG5). We observed three clusters. (B) Reactome pathway enrichment analysis. Cluster 1: enrichment for ECM organization and degradation of the ECM. Cluster 2: enriched for innate immune system, complement cascade, formation of fibrin clot (clotting cascade), and platelet degranulation. Cluster 3: enrichment for platelet degranulation and cell surface interaction at the vascular wall. (C) KEGG pathway enrichment analysis. Cluster 1: enrichment for NET formation and cardiomyopathies. Cluster 3: enrichment for cell adhesion molecules, viral protein interaction with cytokine and cytokine receptor, and cholesterol metabolism.