Serum Proteomic Profiling Reveals Renin-Associated Immune and Cytoskeletal Dysregulation in Post-COVID-19 Condition Patients with Secondary Adrenal Insufficiency

Abstract

Post-COVID-19 condition (PCC) with secondary adrenal insufficiency (SAI) involves multiorgan dysfunction, potentially linked to renin−angiotensin−aldosterone system dysregulation. The molecular basis of renin-associated pathology remains unclear. Here, PCC+SAI patients were stratified by upright renin into low- (<38.8 pg/mL) and high-renin (≥38.8 pg/mL) groups. Clinical, endocrine, and proteomic analyses were performed. We found that high-renin patients showed increased BMI, lipids, renin, and aldosterone, but reduced aldosterone-to-renin ratio. Proteomic annalysis identified 20 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs), including 17 upregulated and 3 downregulated proteins in Ren-H patients. Functional annotation revealed that 15 DEPs were immune-related (e.g., APOC4, APOE, C4BPA, CFAH, CFHR3, PF4V, PLF4), while FLNA and COF1 represented cytoskeletal proteins. These DEPs were primarily involved in immune response, complement and coagulation cascades, and MAPK signaling pathways. Correlation analyses indicated that upright renin was positively correlated with complement-related proteins and platelet-derived immune factors, while cytoskeletal proteins (FLNA, COF1) showed positive associations with serum Na+ levels. Additionally, white blood cell and platelet counts were positively correlated with the majority of DEPs. In conclusion, exploratory proteomic analyses suggest that elevated upright renin in PCC+SAI may be associated with immune dysregulation, complement activation, and cytoskeletal remodeling, offering novel insights into the endocrine−immune interactions driving postviral sequelae.