Two distinct immunopathological profiles in autopsy lungs of COVID-19

The immunopathological reactions of lethal COVID-19 are divided into two, high or low interferon-stimulated gene (ISG) expression patterns. The high ISG patients was characterized by the strong cytokine responses as well as high viral load and limited pulmonary damage. In contrast, the low ISG patients showed severely damaged lungs and low viral loads and abundant infiltration activated CD8+ T cells and macrophages. Interestingly, the high ISG patients tended to die earlier than the low ISG patients.