Elevated MUC1 and MUC5AC mucin protein levels in airway mucus of critical ill COVID‐19 Patients

Lu, Wenju; Liu, Xiaoqing; Wang, Tao; Liu, Fei; Zhu, Airu; Lin, Yongping; Luo, Jieping; Ye, Feng; He, Jianxing; Zhao, Jincun; Li, Yiming; Zhong, Nanshan

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) patients exhibit a spectrum of respiratory symptoms like cough and dyspnea1‐3. Airway mucus is an adhesive viscoelastic gel composed mostly of high‐molecular weight mucous glycoproteins and water, which is important in maintaining lung function and health, pathological mucus hypersecretion may cause airway obstruction and lead to respiratory distress. Mucin (MUC) glycoproteins are the major macromolecular components of mucus, which are classified into two major types: the gel‐forming, secreted mucins (i.e, MUC5AC) and the membrane‐tethered mucins (i.e. MUC1)4. Here, with an attempt to understand the lung changes, we sought to provide a delineation of the components of airway mucus from COVID‐19 patients. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.