Elevated systemic inflammation during severe SARS-CoV-2 infection and correlation with BND
phenotype and function. (A) Cytokines TNF-α, IL-6, IFNγ, IL-1β, BAFF, and IL-10 (pg/ml) were measured in plasma from those immunized against SARS-CoV-2 (n = 8), or those with mild (n = 10) or severe SARS-CoV-2 infection (n = 13). (B) A correlation matrix was generated using the values from those immunized against SARS-CoV-2 (n = 8), or subjects with mild (n = 8) or severe SARS-CoV-2 infection (n = 10) of the following parameters: frequency of BND cells as a percent of Naive/Transitional (CD27−IgD+) or as a percent of B cells (CD19+), expression (geometric mean fluorescent intensity) of CD69, CD86, CD21, BAFFR, CD22, and CD72 on BND cells, or pSYK Y348, pBLNK Y84, and pPLCγ2 Y759 expression in BND cells after 5 min incubation with anti-IgG (H + L) F(ab’)2 correlated with plasma levels of CRP (ng/ml), TNF-α, IL-6, IFNγ, IL-1β, BAFF, and IL-10 (pg/ml). Statistics: one-way ANOVA; *, P < 0.05; ***, P < 0.001.