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CCR5 inhibition in critical COVID-19 patients decreases inflammatory cytokines, increases CD8 T-cells, and decreases SARS-CoV2 RNA in plasma by day 14.

Name: Kaimen Rigor review — CCR5 inhibition in critical COVID-19 patients decreases inflammatory cytokines, increases CD8 T-cells, and decreases SARS-CoV2 RNA in plasma by day 14.
Item: CCR5 inhibition in critical COVID-19 patients decreases inflammatory cytokines, increases CD8 T-cells, and decreases SARS-CoV2 RNA in plasma by day 14.
Rating: 59
Author: Kaimen Terminal

Patterson BK, Seethamraju H, Dhody K, Corley MJ, Kazempour K, Lalezari J, Pang APS, Sugai C, Mahyari E, Francisco EB, Pise A, Rodrigues H, Wu HL, Webb GM, Park BS, Kelly S, Pourhassan N, Lelic A, Kdouh L, Herrera M, Hall E, Bimber BN, Plassmeyer M, Gupta R, Alpan O, O'Halloran JA, Mudd PA, Akalin E, Ndhlovu LC, Sacha JB.

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Kaimen Rigor review — 1★ (Critical), 0 critical, 9 high issues for “CCR5 inhibition in critical COVID-19 patients decreases inflammatory cytokines, increases CD8 T-cells, and decreases SARS-CoV2 RNA in plasma by day 14.”

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This rigor review was examined and confirmed by Kaimen Terminal Editorial · August 3, 2026

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CCR5 inhibition in critical COVID-19 patients decreases inflammatory cytokines, increases CD8 T-cells, and decreases SARS-CoV2 RNA in plasma by day 14.

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DOI

10.1016/j.ijid.2020.10.101

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Kaimen Rigor reviewedExport PDF

Rigor-Reviewed Manuscript

CCR5 inhibition in critical COVID-19 patients decreases inflammatory cytokines, increases CD8 T-cells, and decreases SARS-CoV2 RNA in plasma by day 14.

Paper source

CCR5 inhibition in critical COVID-19 patients decreases inflammatory cytokines, increases CD8 T-cells, and decreases SARS-CoV2 RNA in plasma by day 14.

Read full text (PMC)Journal

Embed this Rigor badge

Links back to this Kaimen Rigor review.

Kaimen Terminal Editorial

This rigor review was examined and confirmed by Kaimen Terminal Editorial · August 3, 2026

Kaimen Rigor review

Kaimen Rigor reviewed

1 / 5

Critical — serious problems across many checks

Interventional Study

Critical

High-priority

How this rating was calculated▸

Started at 5★ — deductions

IntegrityIntegrity concern ×3−1.5★
ClaimsOverstated claim−0.5★
ReportingStudy design not met−0.5★
ReportingData & code availability not met−0.5★
ReportingBiological variables partially met−0.25★
ReportingEthical approvals partially met−0.25★
ReportingKey resources partially met−0.25★
CitationsUnresolved reference−0.25★

Model-reported confidence: moderateReviewer agreement: moderateEngine: 7.8.0Source: full text

Biggest issues

01Study design lacks key rigor safeguards
highDisclosurereviewer-assessedFull detail
The study design is not rigorous; it lacks randomization, blinding, power analysis, explicit inclusion/exclusion criteria, and outlier handling, all of which are not reported.
02Data and code not shared
highDisclosurereviewer-assessedFull detail
The data availability statement is vague, no data are deposited in a repository, no accession numbers are provided, and custom code is not shared.
“All primary data presented in this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.”
Data availability
03Conclusion reaches beyond the evidence
mediumOverreachreviewer-assessedFull detail
CCR5 blockade represents a novel therapeutic strategy for COVID-19.
“inhibiting the activity of CCL5 via CCR5/RANTES blockade represents a novel therapeutic strategy for COVID-19”
Discussion

Findings by category

101ArithmeticNumerical inconsistencies 202OverreachOverstated conclusions 03AuthenticityNone found 504DisclosureReporting gaps 105AvailabilityBroken references and links 06Copyedit11 minor suggestions

This single-arm, open-label study of leronlimab in 10 critically ill COVID-19 patients is exploratory and hypothesis-generating, but it suffers from fundamental design limitations (no randomization, no control, no blinding) and serious reporting gaps (missing informed consent, no data/code sharing, no trial registration). Internal contradictions (n=7 vs n=10 for viremia) and an overstated claim further weaken the paper's robustness.

The evaluation covered all eight rigor dimensions, incorporating three independent reviewer assessments, a copyedit pass, and verification components (statistics, citations, reproducibility, integrity, claim audit). The reviewers diverged on statistical analysis and key resources; the synthesized judgment weighted specific evidence. The study is interventional; no dimensions were deemed not applicable.

Numerical inconsistencies

1 finding · worst low

Values that contradict each other or are impossible for the stated sample: recomputed p-values and test statistics, GRIM/GRIMMER checks on summary numbers, percentages against their own counts, totals against their parts, and estimates against their own confidence intervals.

Internal contradictions in the reported numbersAssessed

Recomputed 1 test: 1 consistent, 0 inconsistent; 1 via agent-written checks.

Overstated conclusions

2 findings · worst medium

Conclusions that reach past what the paper's own results support — including a significance claim that no longer holds when the statistic is recomputed, and efficacy resting on an unvalidated surrogate endpoint.

Conclusions overstated beyond the evidenceAssessed
Conclusions only partially backed by the presented evidenceAssessed

10 major claims checked against the paper's own evidence: 1 not fully backed by the presented evidence (unsupported or overstated).

Data authenticity concerns

None found

An adversarial read for patterns associated with data that may not be genuine: results that look too clean, implausibly large effects, duplicated data or images, and methods that do not match the results reported.

Checked — nothing surfaced.

Reporting gaps

5 findings · worst high

Required detail the manuscript never states — study design, biological variables, ethics approval and consent, key resources, statistical reporting, data and code availability, and overall transparency.

Data and code not sharedAssessed
Study design lacks key rigor safeguardsAssessed
Biological variables underreported (sex, age, strain)Assessed
Ethics/consent reporting incompleteAssessed
Key resources under-identified (antibodies, cell lines, RRIDs)Assessed

Eight Dimensions3 pass · 3 warn · 2 fail

The introduction cites relevant literature on SARS-CoV-2, cytokine storm, and CCR5, and explicitly states the hypothesis that disrupting the CCL5–CCR5 axis via leronlimab might mitigate immunopathology. Limitations of the study design are acknowledged in the Discussion.

Sub-criteria

prior work citedADEQUATE

premise rationaleADEQUATE

limitations addressedADEQUATE

Per reviewer (3) — the votes behind the verdict

PASSReviewer 1· 85% conf

The paper adequately establishes the scientific premise by citing prior work and providing a logical rationale for targeting CCR5, though it does not explicitly address limitations of prior research.

Evidence

paraphrase[Introduction, paragraphs 1-2]

“Since the initial cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) were reported from Wuhan, China in December 2019 (), severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has emerged as a global pandemic...”

paraphrase[Introduction, paragraph 2]

“SARS-CoV-infected airway epithelial cells and macrophages express high levels of CCL5 (), which is a chemotactic molecule that can amplify inflammatory responses toward immunopathology, so we hypothesized that disrupting the CCL5–CCR5 axis via the leronlimab-mediated CCR5 blockade might prevent pulmonary trafficking of pro-inflammatory leukocytes...”

“Given medical triage resulting in patient death and the lack of a placebo control group, we cannot comment on the impact of leronlimab on the clinical outcomes in these patients.”

Discussion ¶5

PASSReviewer 2· 95% conf

The study clearly establishes its scientific foundation by citing prior work on COVID-19, CCR5, and leronlimab, and provides a logical rationale for the hypothesis.

Evidence

paraphrase[Introduction, paragraphs 1-3]

“we hypothesized that disrupting the CCL5–CCR5 axis via the leronlimab-mediated CCR5 blockade might prevent pulmonary trafficking of pro-inflammatory leukocytes and dampen pathogenic immune activation in COVID-19.”

Introduction ¶2

“Our study design precludes clinical efficacy inferences but the results implicate CCR5 as a therapeutic target for COVID-19”

Discussion ¶5

PASSReviewer 3· 95% conf

The study clearly establishes the scientific premise by citing prior work on COVID-19, CCR5, and leronlimab, and provides a logical rationale for the hypothesis.

Evidence

paraphrase[Introduction, paragraphs 1-3]

“SARS-CoV-infected airway epithelial cells and macrophages express high levels of CCL5, which is a chemotactic molecule that can amplify inflammatory responses toward immunopathology, so we hypothesized that disrupting the CCL5–CCR5 axis via the leronlimab-mediated CCR5 blockade might prevent pulmonary trafficking of pro-inflammatory leukocytes and dampen pathogenic immune activation in COVID-19.”

Introduction ¶2

“It remains unclear why COVID-19 patients experience a spectrum of clinical outcomes ranging from asymptomatic to severe disease”

Introduction ¶1

For a human interventional study, key design elements are missing. No randomization method is described; the study is an open-label single-arm design. Blinding is not mentioned. No a priori power analysis or sample size calculation is provided. Inclusion/exclusion criteria for the leronlimab-treated group are not explicitly stated (only described as 'terminally ill, critical COVID-19 patients'). Outlier handling is not addressed. The control group is observational and not part of the intervention design.

Sub-criteria

controlsN/A

power analysisNOT REPORTED

blinding levelsNOT REPORTED

outlier handlingNOT REPORTED

randomization unitN/A

inclusion exclusionNOT REPORTED

randomization methodNOT REPORTED

replicate distinctionN/A

independent replicationN/A

Per reviewer (3) — the votes behind the verdict

FAILReviewer 1· 95% conf

The study design is not rigorous; it lacks randomization, blinding, power analysis, explicit inclusion/exclusion criteria, and outlier handling, all of which are not reported.

Evidence

absence[Methods, Patients section]

No randomization method is reported.

absence[Methods]

No blinding is mentioned.

absence[Methods, Statistical analysis]

No power analysis or sample size calculation.

paraphrase[Methods, Patients]

“Patients are described as '10 terminally ill, critical COVID-19 patients' but no formal inclusion/exclusion criteria are listed.”

FAILReviewer 2· 95% conf

The study lacks nearly all core design elements for a rigorous interventional trial: no randomization, blinding, power analysis, pre-specified inclusion/exclusion criteria, outlier handling, or adequate control group.

Evidence

absence[Methods, Patients]

No randomization method is reported.

absence[Methods]

No blinding is mentioned.

absence[Methods, Statistical analysis]

No power analysis or sample size justification is provided.

FAILReviewer 3· 80% conf

The study design lacks randomization, blinding, power analysis, explicit inclusion/exclusion criteria, and outlier handling, which are essential for interventional studies.

Evidence

absence[Methods]

No power analysis or sample size justification is provided.

“All leronlimab-treated patients were enrolled in this study under an individual patient emergency use investigation new drug (EIND) via a United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) emergency use authorization.”

Methods

absence[Methods, Statistical analysis]

No mention of how outliers or missing data were handled.

Table 1 lists age and gender for each patient. Health status is described through pre-existing conditions and baseline clinical status. However, weight is not reported, and race/ethnicity is not reported. Sex is reported for all patients, and both sexes are included, so sex_justified is not_applicable. Age and health are reported but weight is missing, making the sub-criterion reported_but_inadequate.

Sub-criteria

demographicsINADEQUATE

sex reportedADEQUATE

sex justifiedN/A

age weight healthINADEQUATE

housing conditionsN/A

species strain sourceN/A

Per reviewer (3) — the votes behind the verdict

WARNReviewer 1· 80% conf

Sex and age are reported, but weight and race/ethnicity are missing, and health status is partially described.

Evidence

paraphrase[Table 1]

“Patient | Age/Gender | ... L1 | 74/M | ...”

absence[Table 1, Methods]

Weight is not reported.

absence[Table 1, Methods]

Race/ethnicity is not reported.

WARNReviewer 2· 85% conf

Sex and age are reported, but weight and race/ethnicity are missing, and health status is partially reported via pre-existing conditions and baseline parameters.

Evidence

“Table 1 Leronlimab-treated critical COVID-19 patient summaries. Table 1 Day relative to leronlimab | | Patient | Age/Gender |”

Table 1

absence[Methods, Patients; Table 1]

Weight is not reported.

absence[Methods, Patients; Table 1]

Race/ethnicity is not reported.

WARNReviewer 3· 85% conf

Sex and age are reported, but weight is not reported, and race/ethnicity are not reported. Health status is partially covered via comorbidities.

Evidence

paraphrase[Table 1]

“Patient | Age/Gender | ... | L1 | 74/M | ...”

absence[Table 1, Methods]

Weight is not reported.

absence[Table 1, Methods]

Race/ethnicity is not reported.

The study states that the Albert Einstein College of Medicine IRB and Washington University Saint Louis IRB approved the study. The paper also states compliance with the Helsinki Declaration. However, informed consent from participants is not mentioned, which is a critical omission for human subjects research. The study used emergency use IND, but the paper does not discuss consent or waiver.

Sub-criteria

iacuc statementN/A

informed consentNOT REPORTED

irb ethics statementADEQUATE

regulatory complianceADEQUATE

Per reviewer (3) — the votes behind the verdict

WARNReviewer 1· 90% conf

Ethics approval from named IRBs is reported, but informed consent is not mentioned, and regulatory compliance is stated.

Evidence

“The Albert Einstein College of Medicine Institution Review Board reviewed and approved this study.”

Methods

absence[Methods, Ethical approval]

Informed consent is not mentioned.

“The study complied with the ethical standards of the Helsinki Declaration.”

Methods

WARNReviewer 2· 90% conf

An IRB approval is stated for the main study and the control cohort, and compliance with the Declaration of Helsinki is mentioned, but informed consent is not explicitly reported.

Evidence

“The Albert Einstein College of Medicine Institution Review Board reviewed and approved this study.”

Methods

“The study was reviewed and approved by the Washington University Saint Louis Institutional Review Board (WU-350 study approval # 202003085).”

Methods

absence[Methods, Patients]

Informed consent is not reported.

WARNReviewer 3· 90% conf

Ethics approval from named IRBs is stated, but informed consent is not explicitly described for the leronlimab-treated patients.

Evidence

“The Albert Einstein College of Medicine Institution Review Board reviewed and approved this study.”

Methods

absence[Methods, Patients]

Informed consent is not mentioned for the leronlimab-treated patients.

“The study complied with the ethical standards of the Helsinki Declaration.”

Methods

Leronlimab is named and described as a CCR5-specific human IgG4 monoclonal antibody, but no manufacturer, lot number, or formulation details are provided. Antibodies used in flow cytometry are listed by name and fluorophore but without catalog numbers or RRIDs. Kits (e.g., LegendPlex, QIAamp) are identified by vendor. Software (Kaluza, Cellranger, Seurat, etc.) is identified with version numbers. Overall, identification of key resources is incomplete.

Sub-criteria

mycoplasma testingN/A

reagents identifiedINADEQUATE

organisms identifiedN/A

antibodies identifiedINADEQUATE

cell line authenticationN/A

software tools identifiedADEQUATE

Per reviewer (3) — the votes behind the verdict

WARNReviewer 1· 80% conf

The investigational drug leronlimab is identified but without lot number or manufacturer details; antibodies and reagents lack catalog numbers; software is adequately identified.

Evidence

“Leronlimab, formerly known as PRO 140, is a CCR5-specific human IgG4 monoclonal antibody in development for HIV therapy as a once weekly, at home subcutaneous injection.”

Introduction ¶2

paraphrase[Methods, Flow cytometry]

“Antibodies are listed with clone names and fluorophores, but no catalog numbers or RRIDs are provided.”

paraphrase[Methods, Flow cytometry and 10x Genomics sections]

“Analysis was performed with Kaluza version 2.1 software. ... Raw FASTQ reads ... processed using 10× Genomics Cellranger version 3.1.0 ... processed using Seurat version 3.1.4.”

FAILReviewer 2· 90% conf

Key resources such as antibodies, reagents, and software are identified but without catalog numbers, RRIDs, or version-specific details, and the investigational product (leronlimab) is described without batch number or formulation details.

Evidence

“anti-CD19 (PE-Dazzle594), anti-CD3 (APC), anti-CD16 (Alexa700), HLA-DR (APC/Fire750), and anti-CTLA-4 (PE-Cy7)”

Methods

“Leronlimab, formerly known as PRO 140, is a CCR5-specific human IgG4 monoclonal antibody”

Introduction ¶3

“Analysis was performed with Kaluza version 2.1 software.”

Statistical analysis

WARNReviewer 3· 80% conf

Antibodies and reagents are listed but lack full catalog numbers and lot numbers. Software tools are well identified.

Evidence

“anti-CD19 (PE-Dazzle594), anti-CD3 (APC), anti-CD16 (Alexa700), HLA-DR (APC/Fire750), and anti-CTLA-4 (PE-Cy7)”

Methods

paraphrase[Methods, Patients]

“All leronlimab-treated patients received two doses of leronlimab via individual emergency use indication.”

“Analysis was performed with Kaluza version 2.1 software.”

Methods

Tests are named (Kruskal-Wallis with Dunn's correction, Mann-Whitney U, Fisher's exact, repeated measures correlation). Exact p-values are reported (e.g., p=0.0013, p=0.0012). The repeated measures correlation includes a 95% confidence interval (−0.93 to 0.35). Software is identified (Kaluza, QuantaSoft, etc.). The absence of explicit assumption verification is mitigated by the use of nonparametric tests. Data presentation is described but individual data points cannot be confirmed from the text; nonetheless, the overall reporting is adequate.

Sub-criteria

tests namedADEQUATE

exact p valuesADEQUATE

effect sizes ciADEQUATE

data presentationINADEQUATE

software identifiedADEQUATE

assumptions verifiedNOT REPORTED

mathematical plausibilityN/A

Per reviewer (3) — the votes behind the verdict

WARNReviewer 1· 85% conf

Statistical tests are named and exact p-values are reported, but effect sizes with confidence intervals are only partially reported, statistical software is not identified, and data presentation lacks error bar definitions.

Evidence

“We performed statistical analyses between groups using the nonparametric Kruskal–Wallis test followed by Dunn’s multiple comparison correction to control the experiment-wise error rate.”

Statistical analysis

“Graph shows rho (ρ) and p - values calculated by repeated measures correlation: * p ≤ 0.05, ** p ≤ 0.01, *** p ≤ 0.001, **** p ≤ 0.0001.”

Figure 2

absence[Methods, Statistical analysis]

Statistical software is not identified.

paraphrase[Figure 1 and 2 legends]

“Figure legends describe the data but do not state what error bars represent (SD, SEM, or CI).”

PASSReviewer 2· 85% conf

Statistical tests are named, exact p-values are reported, effect sizes and confidence intervals are provided for the key correlation, and software is identified. Assumptions are not formally verified but nonparametric tests are used.

Evidence

“We performed statistical analyses between groups using the nonparametric Kruskal–Wallis test followed by Dunn’s multiple comparison correction to control the experiment-wise error rate.”

Statistical analysis

paraphrase[Results, Figure 2 legend]

“p = 0.0013”

“The 95% confidence interval for the repeated measures correlation was −0.93 to 0.35.”

Figure 2

PASSReviewer 3· 85% conf

Statistical tests are named, exact p-values are reported, and software is identified. However, effect sizes and confidence intervals are largely missing, and assumptions are not verified.

Evidence

“We performed statistical analyses between groups using the nonparametric Kruskal–Wallis test followed by Dunn’s multiple comparison correction to control the experiment-wise error rate. We compared categorical variables using Fisher’s exact test and continuous variables with the Mann–Whitney U test”

Statistical analysis

paraphrase[Results, Figure 2 legend]

“p = 0.0013”

paraphrase[Figures 1 and 2]

“Graphs show p-values calculated using Dunn’s Kruskal–Wallis test”

The data availability statement says 'All primary data presented in this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request,' which is vague and does not provide a concrete access mechanism. No data are deposited in a public repository, and no accession numbers are given for the scRNA-seq data. Custom code for analysis is not shared. The paper mentions using public 10x Genomics datasets, but those are not the study's own data.

Sub-criteria

code sharingNOT REPORTED

accession numbersNOT REPORTED

repository depositNOT REPORTED

data availability statementINADEQUATE

Per reviewer (3) — the votes behind the verdict

FAILReviewer 1· 90% conf

The data availability statement is vague, no data are deposited in a repository, no accession numbers are provided, and custom code is not shared.

Evidence

“All primary data presented in this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.”

Data availability

absence[Data availability section]

No repository deposit for primary data.

absence[Data availability section]

No accession numbers for sequencing data.

absence[Data availability section]

No custom code shared.

FAILReviewer 2· 90% conf

The data availability statement is vague ('available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request'), no data are deposited in a repository, no accession numbers are provided, and no custom code is shared.

Evidence

“All primary data presented in this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.”

Data availability

absence[Data availability]

No repository deposit is mentioned.

absence[Methods]

No code sharing is mentioned.

FAILReviewer 3· 90% conf

The data availability statement is vague ('available upon reasonable request'), and no code sharing is provided.

Evidence

“All primary data presented in this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.”

Data availability

absence[Methods]

No code repository is mentioned.

The methods section is comprehensive, covering cytokine assays, flow cytometry, viral load measurement, and scRNA-seq. Limitations are explicitly discussed: 'our study design precludes clinical efficacy inferences' and 'lack of a placebo control group.' Conclusions are cautious, calling for RCTs. Funding and conflicts of interest are declared. However, the study is not registered in a clinical trials registry, and no reporting checklist (e.g., CONSORT) is mentioned. Trial registration is not_reported; reporting guideline is not_reported.

Sub-criteria

funding coiADEQUATE

trial registrationNOT REPORTED

reporting guidelineNOT REPORTED

methods completenessADEQUATE

all outcomes reportedADEQUATE

limitations discussedADEQUATE

conclusions proportionalADEQUATE

Per reviewer (3) — the votes behind the verdict

PASSReviewer 1· 85% conf

Methods are detailed, limitations are discussed, conclusions are proportional, and funding/COI are disclosed, but the study is not registered and no reporting guideline is referenced.

Evidence

paraphrase[Methods sections]

“The paper includes detailed descriptions of plasma cytokine quantification, flow cytometry, CCR5 receptor occupancy assay, ddPCR, and scRNA-seq.”

“Given medical triage resulting in patient death and the lack of a placebo control group, we cannot comment on the impact of leronlimab on the clinical outcomes in these patients.”

Discussion ¶5

“In summary, our results suggest the involvement of CCR5 in the pathology of SARS-CoV-2, and that inhibiting the activity of CCL5 via CCR5/RANTES blockade represents a novel therapeutic strategy for COVID-19 with both immunological and virological implications.”

Discussion

paraphrase[Discussion, last paragraph]

“Ongoing randomized trials are referenced (NCT04343651, NCT04347239), but the current study is not registered.”

PASSReviewer 2· 90% conf

Methods are detailed, limitations are discussed, conclusions are proportional, and funding/COI are disclosed, but the study is not registered and no reporting guideline is referenced.

Evidence

“PBMCs were isolated from peripheral blood using a Lymphoprep density gradient (STEMCELL Technologies, Vancouver, Canada).”

Methods

“Given medical triage resulting in patient death and the lack of a placebo control group, we cannot comment on the impact of leronlimab on the clinical outcomes in these patients.”

Discussion

“Dr. Sacha has received compensation for consulting for CytoDyn Inc., a company that may have a commercial interest in the results of this research.”

Conflict of interest

PASSReviewer 3· 85% conf

Methods are detailed, limitations are discussed, conclusions are proportional, and COI/funding are stated. However, trial registration and reporting guideline adherence are absent.

Evidence

“We analyzed changes in clinical presentation, immune cell populations, inflammation, as well as SARS-CoV-2 plasma viremia before and 14 days after treatment.”

Methods

“Our study design precludes clinical efficacy inferences but the results implicate CCR5 as a therapeutic target for COVID-19”

Discussion

“randomized, double blind, placebo controlled clinical trials are underway to assess the efficacy of leronlimab treatments”

Discussion

Registered (2 IDs: ClinicalTrials.gov). No reporting guideline cited.

Broken references and links

1 finding · worst low

References checked against Crossref, OpenAlex and Retraction Watch for retractions and resolvability, plus declared data and code links probed for whether they resolve to content matching the paper.

References not resolvable to a published paperRecomputed

Checked 30 references by DOI: 24 verified — 1 DOI unresolved, 5 no DOI (shown, not verified).

2 data/code links checked; 0 live.

Copyediting

11 minor

Wording, consistency and formatting errors that need correcting before submission.

No major wording or formatting errors. 11 minor suggestions below.

11 copyedit issues flagged: mostly consistency, typo, clarity.

Kaimen Rigor Action ItemsFinal pass before journal submission

This published paper is not robust in its current form. An informed reader should weigh the severe design limitations, the missing informed consent, the internal contradictions in the reported sample sizes, and the absence of data/code sharing. The overstated claim of a 'novel therapeutic strategy' and the unverified reference warrant scrutiny. An erratum or correction is needed to address the internal contradictions and add missing information; independent re-analysis would be ideal but is hindered by the lack of shared data.

1.
HIGHrigor
Investigate and resolve the internal contradiction: the text states all 10 patients had SARS-CoV-2 viremia, but Figures 1E and 2F show n=7 for viremia measurements. Clarify the discrepancy or correct the figures.
This inconsistency undermines the reported data and could indicate a missing data or reporting error that readers must be aware of.
2.
HIGHrigor
Investigate the repeated measures correlation: reported n=20 observations, but with 7 patients at 3 time points expected n=21. Explain the missing data point or correct the analysis.
An unexplained discrepancy in the number of observations raises questions about the integrity of the analysis.
3.
HIGHreporting
Add a statement on informed consent: report whether informed consent was obtained from the leronlimab-treated patients or, if waived under EIND, provide the justification and approval details.
Missing informed consent is a critical ethical reporting gap that must be addressed in an erratum.
4.
HIGHdata code
Deposit the scRNA-seq and other primary data in a public repository (e.g., GEO, Zenodo) with accession numbers, and replace the vague data availability statement with a concrete link.
Without data deposit, the study cannot be independently verified or re-analyzed, which is a major reproducibility concern.
5.
HIGHreporting
Temper the claim that 'CCR5 blockade represents a novel therapeutic strategy for COVID-19' to reflect the exploratory nature of the study, given the small sample, lack of control, and emergency-use setting.
The claim is overstated given the study's limitations; an erratum should adjust the language to match the evidence.
6.
HIGHother
Verify the reference with DOI 10.1016/s1473-471.3099(20)30200-0 (title: 'Clinical and virological data of the first cases of COVID-19 in Europe: a case series') which was not found in Crossref/OpenAlex. Correct the DOI or remove the citation if it cannot be verified.
An unresolved reference may be fabricated; correcting it is essential for citation integrity.
7.
HIGHreporting
Register the study in a clinical trials registry (e.g., ClinicalTrials.gov) and report the registration number, or explicitly state why registration was not obtained (e.g., emergency use).
Trial registration is standard for interventional studies and its absence reduces transparency.
8.
HIGHreporting
Reference a reporting guideline such as CONSORT (for non-randomized trials) in the Methods section, or explain why it was not followed.
Adherence to reporting guidelines improves completeness and reproducibility.
9.
HIGHstatistics
Identify the statistical software used for the main analyses (e.g., GraphPad Prism, R version) in the Statistical analysis section.
Missing software identification hinders reproducibility of the analyses.
10.
MEDIUMstatistics
Report effect sizes and confidence intervals for all group comparisons (e.g., Cohen's d for Mann-Whitney tests), not only the repeated measures correlation.
Effect sizes allow readers to assess the magnitude of differences, which is critical for interpretation.
11.
MEDIUMstatistics
Define error bars in all figure legends (e.g., SD, SEM, or CI).
Undefined error bars make it impossible to interpret the variability in the data.
12.
MEDIUMreporting
Add weight and race/ethnicity to Table 1 or a supplementary table.
These demographic variables are important for assessing generalizability and potential confounding.
13.
MEDIUMreporting
Provide catalog numbers or RRIDs for all antibodies and key reagents (e.g., leronlimab lot number) in the Methods or a supplementary file.
Missing resource identifiers reduces reproducibility of the experimental protocols.
14.
MEDIUMcopyedit
Correct the typo in Methods, Cytokine assay: 'IL-2 (p40)' should be 'IL-12 (p40)', and 'Il-4' should be 'IL-4'. Also fix the duplicate 'IL-5'.
These typos could cause confusion about which cytokines were measured.
15.
MEDIUMcopyedit
Standardize the virus name to 'SARS-CoV-2' (with hyphen) throughout the manuscript.
Consistency with standard nomenclature improves readability and professionalism.
16.
LOWcopyedit
Replace 'TBD' in Table 1 with 'Not determined' or specify the actual value if available.
Undefined abbreviations in tables can confuse readers.
17.
LOWcopyedit
Add full URLs or dataset identifiers for the public 10x Genomics datasets referenced in the Methods.
Providing specific identifiers improves reproducibility of the bioinformatics analysis.

Full text (35,832 chars)Analyzed: Aug 1, 2026

This Kaimen Rigor review uses Kaimen Rigor trained on a curated corpus of high-fidelity and retracted papers, with expert supervision and curation. It can still make mistakes; verify each finding against the source before relying on it.

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CCR5 inhibition in critical COVID-19 patients decreases inflammatory cytokines, increases CD8 T-cells, and decreases SARS-CoV2 RNA in plasma by day 14.

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Journal

DOI

10.1016/j.ijid.2020.10.101

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f3828b0cf5ce917a772c7875cba37673c3571e56111088af576c0e924a3090f8

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Issued Aug 3, 2026Engine 7.8.0

Kaimen Terminal assesses methodological rigor, not the importance of the findings. See how we evaluate →

Kaimen Rigor review

Kaimen Rigor reviewed

1 / 5

Critical — serious problems across many checks

Interventional Study

Critical

High-priority

How this rating was calculated▸

Started at 5★ — deductions

IntegrityIntegrity concern ×3−1.5★
ClaimsOverstated claim−0.5★
ReportingStudy design not met−0.5★
ReportingData & code availability not met−0.5★
ReportingBiological variables partially met−0.25★
ReportingEthical approvals partially met−0.25★
ReportingKey resources partially met−0.25★
CitationsUnresolved reference−0.25★

Model-reported confidence: moderateReviewer agreement: moderateEngine: 7.8.0Source: full text

Biggest issues

01Study design lacks key rigor safeguards
highDisclosurereviewer-assessedFull detail
The study design is not rigorous; it lacks randomization, blinding, power analysis, explicit inclusion/exclusion criteria, and outlier handling, all of which are not reported.
02Data and code not shared
highDisclosurereviewer-assessedFull detail
The data availability statement is vague, no data are deposited in a repository, no accession numbers are provided, and custom code is not shared.
“All primary data presented in this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.”
Data availability
03Conclusion reaches beyond the evidence
mediumOverreachreviewer-assessedFull detail
CCR5 blockade represents a novel therapeutic strategy for COVID-19.
“inhibiting the activity of CCL5 via CCR5/RANTES blockade represents a novel therapeutic strategy for COVID-19”
Discussion

Findings by category

Numerical inconsistencies

1 finding · worst low

Internal contradictions in the reported numbersAssessed

Recomputed 1 test: 1 consistent, 0 inconsistent; 1 via agent-written checks.

Overstated conclusions

2 findings · worst medium

Conclusions overstated beyond the evidenceAssessed
Conclusions only partially backed by the presented evidenceAssessed

10 major claims checked against the paper's own evidence: 1 not fully backed by the presented evidence (unsupported or overstated).

Data authenticity concerns

None found

Checked — nothing surfaced.

Reporting gaps

5 findings · worst high

Data and code not sharedAssessed
Study design lacks key rigor safeguardsAssessed
Biological variables underreported (sex, age, strain)Assessed
Ethics/consent reporting incompleteAssessed
Key resources under-identified (antibodies, cell lines, RRIDs)Assessed

Eight Dimensions3 pass · 3 warn · 2 fail

Sub-criteria

prior work citedADEQUATE

premise rationaleADEQUATE

limitations addressedADEQUATE

Per reviewer (3) — the votes behind the verdict

PASSReviewer 1· 85% conf

The paper adequately establishes the scientific premise by citing prior work and providing a logical rationale for targeting CCR5, though it does not explicitly address limitations of prior research.

Evidence

paraphrase[Introduction, paragraphs 1-2]

paraphrase[Introduction, paragraph 2]

“Given medical triage resulting in patient death and the lack of a placebo control group, we cannot comment on the impact of leronlimab on the clinical outcomes in these patients.”

Discussion ¶5

PASSReviewer 2· 95% conf

The study clearly establishes its scientific foundation by citing prior work on COVID-19, CCR5, and leronlimab, and provides a logical rationale for the hypothesis.

Evidence

paraphrase[Introduction, paragraphs 1-3]

Introduction ¶2

“Our study design precludes clinical efficacy inferences but the results implicate CCR5 as a therapeutic target for COVID-19”

Discussion ¶5

PASSReviewer 3· 95% conf

The study clearly establishes the scientific premise by citing prior work on COVID-19, CCR5, and leronlimab, and provides a logical rationale for the hypothesis.

Evidence

paraphrase[Introduction, paragraphs 1-3]

Introduction ¶2

“It remains unclear why COVID-19 patients experience a spectrum of clinical outcomes ranging from asymptomatic to severe disease”

Introduction ¶1

Sub-criteria

controlsN/A

power analysisNOT REPORTED

blinding levelsNOT REPORTED

outlier handlingNOT REPORTED

randomization unitN/A

inclusion exclusionNOT REPORTED

randomization methodNOT REPORTED

replicate distinctionN/A

independent replicationN/A

Per reviewer (3) — the votes behind the verdict

FAILReviewer 1· 95% conf

The study design is not rigorous; it lacks randomization, blinding, power analysis, explicit inclusion/exclusion criteria, and outlier handling, all of which are not reported.

Evidence

absence[Methods, Patients section]

No randomization method is reported.

absence[Methods]

No blinding is mentioned.

absence[Methods, Statistical analysis]

No power analysis or sample size calculation.

paraphrase[Methods, Patients]

“Patients are described as '10 terminally ill, critical COVID-19 patients' but no formal inclusion/exclusion criteria are listed.”

FAILReviewer 2· 95% conf

Evidence

absence[Methods, Patients]

No randomization method is reported.

absence[Methods]

No blinding is mentioned.

absence[Methods, Statistical analysis]

No power analysis or sample size justification is provided.

FAILReviewer 3· 80% conf

The study design lacks randomization, blinding, power analysis, explicit inclusion/exclusion criteria, and outlier handling, which are essential for interventional studies.

Evidence

absence[Methods]

No power analysis or sample size justification is provided.

Methods

absence[Methods, Statistical analysis]

No mention of how outliers or missing data were handled.

Sub-criteria

demographicsINADEQUATE

sex reportedADEQUATE

sex justifiedN/A

age weight healthINADEQUATE

housing conditionsN/A

species strain sourceN/A

Per reviewer (3) — the votes behind the verdict

WARNReviewer 1· 80% conf

Sex and age are reported, but weight and race/ethnicity are missing, and health status is partially described.

Evidence

paraphrase[Table 1]

“Patient | Age/Gender | ... L1 | 74/M | ...”

absence[Table 1, Methods]

Weight is not reported.

absence[Table 1, Methods]

Race/ethnicity is not reported.

WARNReviewer 2· 85% conf

Sex and age are reported, but weight and race/ethnicity are missing, and health status is partially reported via pre-existing conditions and baseline parameters.

Evidence

“Table 1 Leronlimab-treated critical COVID-19 patient summaries. Table 1 Day relative to leronlimab | | Patient | Age/Gender |”

Table 1

absence[Methods, Patients; Table 1]

Weight is not reported.

absence[Methods, Patients; Table 1]

Race/ethnicity is not reported.

WARNReviewer 3· 85% conf

Sex and age are reported, but weight is not reported, and race/ethnicity are not reported. Health status is partially covered via comorbidities.

Evidence

paraphrase[Table 1]

“Patient | Age/Gender | ... | L1 | 74/M | ...”

absence[Table 1, Methods]

Weight is not reported.

absence[Table 1, Methods]

Race/ethnicity is not reported.

Sub-criteria

iacuc statementN/A

informed consentNOT REPORTED

irb ethics statementADEQUATE

regulatory complianceADEQUATE

Per reviewer (3) — the votes behind the verdict

WARNReviewer 1· 90% conf

Ethics approval from named IRBs is reported, but informed consent is not mentioned, and regulatory compliance is stated.

Evidence

“The Albert Einstein College of Medicine Institution Review Board reviewed and approved this study.”

Methods

absence[Methods, Ethical approval]

Informed consent is not mentioned.

“The study complied with the ethical standards of the Helsinki Declaration.”

Methods

WARNReviewer 2· 90% conf

An IRB approval is stated for the main study and the control cohort, and compliance with the Declaration of Helsinki is mentioned, but informed consent is not explicitly reported.

Evidence

“The Albert Einstein College of Medicine Institution Review Board reviewed and approved this study.”

Methods

“The study was reviewed and approved by the Washington University Saint Louis Institutional Review Board (WU-350 study approval # 202003085).”

Methods

absence[Methods, Patients]

Informed consent is not reported.

WARNReviewer 3· 90% conf

Ethics approval from named IRBs is stated, but informed consent is not explicitly described for the leronlimab-treated patients.

Evidence

“The Albert Einstein College of Medicine Institution Review Board reviewed and approved this study.”

Methods

absence[Methods, Patients]

Informed consent is not mentioned for the leronlimab-treated patients.

“The study complied with the ethical standards of the Helsinki Declaration.”

Methods

Sub-criteria

mycoplasma testingN/A

reagents identifiedINADEQUATE

organisms identifiedN/A

antibodies identifiedINADEQUATE

cell line authenticationN/A

software tools identifiedADEQUATE

Per reviewer (3) — the votes behind the verdict

WARNReviewer 1· 80% conf

The investigational drug leronlimab is identified but without lot number or manufacturer details; antibodies and reagents lack catalog numbers; software is adequately identified.

Evidence

“Leronlimab, formerly known as PRO 140, is a CCR5-specific human IgG4 monoclonal antibody in development for HIV therapy as a once weekly, at home subcutaneous injection.”

Introduction ¶2

paraphrase[Methods, Flow cytometry]

“Antibodies are listed with clone names and fluorophores, but no catalog numbers or RRIDs are provided.”

paraphrase[Methods, Flow cytometry and 10x Genomics sections]

“Analysis was performed with Kaluza version 2.1 software. ... Raw FASTQ reads ... processed using 10× Genomics Cellranger version 3.1.0 ... processed using Seurat version 3.1.4.”

FAILReviewer 2· 90% conf

Evidence

“anti-CD19 (PE-Dazzle594), anti-CD3 (APC), anti-CD16 (Alexa700), HLA-DR (APC/Fire750), and anti-CTLA-4 (PE-Cy7)”

Methods

“Leronlimab, formerly known as PRO 140, is a CCR5-specific human IgG4 monoclonal antibody”

Introduction ¶3

“Analysis was performed with Kaluza version 2.1 software.”

Statistical analysis

WARNReviewer 3· 80% conf

Antibodies and reagents are listed but lack full catalog numbers and lot numbers. Software tools are well identified.

Evidence

“anti-CD19 (PE-Dazzle594), anti-CD3 (APC), anti-CD16 (Alexa700), HLA-DR (APC/Fire750), and anti-CTLA-4 (PE-Cy7)”

Methods

paraphrase[Methods, Patients]

“All leronlimab-treated patients received two doses of leronlimab via individual emergency use indication.”

“Analysis was performed with Kaluza version 2.1 software.”

Methods

Sub-criteria

tests namedADEQUATE

exact p valuesADEQUATE

effect sizes ciADEQUATE

data presentationINADEQUATE

software identifiedADEQUATE

assumptions verifiedNOT REPORTED

mathematical plausibilityN/A

Per reviewer (3) — the votes behind the verdict

WARNReviewer 1· 85% conf

Evidence

“We performed statistical analyses between groups using the nonparametric Kruskal–Wallis test followed by Dunn’s multiple comparison correction to control the experiment-wise error rate.”

Statistical analysis

“Graph shows rho (ρ) and p - values calculated by repeated measures correlation: * p ≤ 0.05, ** p ≤ 0.01, *** p ≤ 0.001, **** p ≤ 0.0001.”

Figure 2

absence[Methods, Statistical analysis]

Statistical software is not identified.

paraphrase[Figure 1 and 2 legends]

“Figure legends describe the data but do not state what error bars represent (SD, SEM, or CI).”

PASSReviewer 2· 85% conf

Evidence

“We performed statistical analyses between groups using the nonparametric Kruskal–Wallis test followed by Dunn’s multiple comparison correction to control the experiment-wise error rate.”

Statistical analysis

paraphrase[Results, Figure 2 legend]

“p = 0.0013”

“The 95% confidence interval for the repeated measures correlation was −0.93 to 0.35.”

Figure 2

PASSReviewer 3· 85% conf

Statistical tests are named, exact p-values are reported, and software is identified. However, effect sizes and confidence intervals are largely missing, and assumptions are not verified.

Evidence

Statistical analysis

paraphrase[Results, Figure 2 legend]

“p = 0.0013”

paraphrase[Figures 1 and 2]

“Graphs show p-values calculated using Dunn’s Kruskal–Wallis test”

Sub-criteria

code sharingNOT REPORTED

accession numbersNOT REPORTED

repository depositNOT REPORTED

data availability statementINADEQUATE

Per reviewer (3) — the votes behind the verdict

FAILReviewer 1· 90% conf

The data availability statement is vague, no data are deposited in a repository, no accession numbers are provided, and custom code is not shared.

Evidence

“All primary data presented in this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.”

Data availability

absence[Data availability section]

No repository deposit for primary data.

absence[Data availability section]

No accession numbers for sequencing data.

absence[Data availability section]

No custom code shared.

FAILReviewer 2· 90% conf

Evidence

“All primary data presented in this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.”

Data availability

absence[Data availability]

No repository deposit is mentioned.

absence[Methods]

No code sharing is mentioned.

FAILReviewer 3· 90% conf

The data availability statement is vague ('available upon reasonable request'), and no code sharing is provided.

Evidence

“All primary data presented in this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.”

Data availability

absence[Methods]

No code repository is mentioned.

Sub-criteria

funding coiADEQUATE

trial registrationNOT REPORTED

reporting guidelineNOT REPORTED

methods completenessADEQUATE

all outcomes reportedADEQUATE

limitations discussedADEQUATE

conclusions proportionalADEQUATE

Per reviewer (3) — the votes behind the verdict

PASSReviewer 1· 85% conf

Methods are detailed, limitations are discussed, conclusions are proportional, and funding/COI are disclosed, but the study is not registered and no reporting guideline is referenced.

Evidence

paraphrase[Methods sections]

“The paper includes detailed descriptions of plasma cytokine quantification, flow cytometry, CCR5 receptor occupancy assay, ddPCR, and scRNA-seq.”

“Given medical triage resulting in patient death and the lack of a placebo control group, we cannot comment on the impact of leronlimab on the clinical outcomes in these patients.”

Discussion ¶5

Discussion

paraphrase[Discussion, last paragraph]

“Ongoing randomized trials are referenced (NCT04343651, NCT04347239), but the current study is not registered.”

PASSReviewer 2· 90% conf

Methods are detailed, limitations are discussed, conclusions are proportional, and funding/COI are disclosed, but the study is not registered and no reporting guideline is referenced.

Evidence

“PBMCs were isolated from peripheral blood using a Lymphoprep density gradient (STEMCELL Technologies, Vancouver, Canada).”

Methods

“Given medical triage resulting in patient death and the lack of a placebo control group, we cannot comment on the impact of leronlimab on the clinical outcomes in these patients.”

Discussion

“Dr. Sacha has received compensation for consulting for CytoDyn Inc., a company that may have a commercial interest in the results of this research.”

Conflict of interest

PASSReviewer 3· 85% conf

Methods are detailed, limitations are discussed, conclusions are proportional, and COI/funding are stated. However, trial registration and reporting guideline adherence are absent.

Evidence

“We analyzed changes in clinical presentation, immune cell populations, inflammation, as well as SARS-CoV-2 plasma viremia before and 14 days after treatment.”

Methods

“Our study design precludes clinical efficacy inferences but the results implicate CCR5 as a therapeutic target for COVID-19”

Discussion

“randomized, double blind, placebo controlled clinical trials are underway to assess the efficacy of leronlimab treatments”

Discussion

Registered (2 IDs: ClinicalTrials.gov). No reporting guideline cited.

Broken references and links

1 finding · worst low

References checked against Crossref, OpenAlex and Retraction Watch for retractions and resolvability, plus declared data and code links probed for whether they resolve to content matching the paper.

References not resolvable to a published paperRecomputed

Checked 30 references by DOI: 24 verified — 1 DOI unresolved, 5 no DOI (shown, not verified).

2 data/code links checked; 0 live.

Copyediting

11 minor

Wording, consistency and formatting errors that need correcting before submission.

No major wording or formatting errors. 11 minor suggestions below.

11 copyedit issues flagged: mostly consistency, typo, clarity.

Kaimen Rigor Action ItemsFinal pass before journal submission

1.
HIGHrigor
Investigate and resolve the internal contradiction: the text states all 10 patients had SARS-CoV-2 viremia, but Figures 1E and 2F show n=7 for viremia measurements. Clarify the discrepancy or correct the figures.
This inconsistency undermines the reported data and could indicate a missing data or reporting error that readers must be aware of.
2.
HIGHrigor
Investigate the repeated measures correlation: reported n=20 observations, but with 7 patients at 3 time points expected n=21. Explain the missing data point or correct the analysis.
An unexplained discrepancy in the number of observations raises questions about the integrity of the analysis.
3.
HIGHreporting
Add a statement on informed consent: report whether informed consent was obtained from the leronlimab-treated patients or, if waived under EIND, provide the justification and approval details.
Missing informed consent is a critical ethical reporting gap that must be addressed in an erratum.
4.
HIGHdata code
Deposit the scRNA-seq and other primary data in a public repository (e.g., GEO, Zenodo) with accession numbers, and replace the vague data availability statement with a concrete link.
Without data deposit, the study cannot be independently verified or re-analyzed, which is a major reproducibility concern.
5.
HIGHreporting
Temper the claim that 'CCR5 blockade represents a novel therapeutic strategy for COVID-19' to reflect the exploratory nature of the study, given the small sample, lack of control, and emergency-use setting.
The claim is overstated given the study's limitations; an erratum should adjust the language to match the evidence.
6.
HIGHother
Verify the reference with DOI 10.1016/s1473-471.3099(20)30200-0 (title: 'Clinical and virological data of the first cases of COVID-19 in Europe: a case series') which was not found in Crossref/OpenAlex. Correct the DOI or remove the citation if it cannot be verified.
An unresolved reference may be fabricated; correcting it is essential for citation integrity.
7.
HIGHreporting
Register the study in a clinical trials registry (e.g., ClinicalTrials.gov) and report the registration number, or explicitly state why registration was not obtained (e.g., emergency use).
Trial registration is standard for interventional studies and its absence reduces transparency.
8.
HIGHreporting
Reference a reporting guideline such as CONSORT (for non-randomized trials) in the Methods section, or explain why it was not followed.
Adherence to reporting guidelines improves completeness and reproducibility.
9.
HIGHstatistics
Identify the statistical software used for the main analyses (e.g., GraphPad Prism, R version) in the Statistical analysis section.
Missing software identification hinders reproducibility of the analyses.
10.
MEDIUMstatistics
Report effect sizes and confidence intervals for all group comparisons (e.g., Cohen's d for Mann-Whitney tests), not only the repeated measures correlation.
Effect sizes allow readers to assess the magnitude of differences, which is critical for interpretation.
11.
MEDIUMstatistics
Define error bars in all figure legends (e.g., SD, SEM, or CI).
Undefined error bars make it impossible to interpret the variability in the data.
12.
MEDIUMreporting
Add weight and race/ethnicity to Table 1 or a supplementary table.
These demographic variables are important for assessing generalizability and potential confounding.
13.
MEDIUMreporting
Provide catalog numbers or RRIDs for all antibodies and key reagents (e.g., leronlimab lot number) in the Methods or a supplementary file.
Missing resource identifiers reduces reproducibility of the experimental protocols.
14.
MEDIUMcopyedit
Correct the typo in Methods, Cytokine assay: 'IL-2 (p40)' should be 'IL-12 (p40)', and 'Il-4' should be 'IL-4'. Also fix the duplicate 'IL-5'.
These typos could cause confusion about which cytokines were measured.
15.
MEDIUMcopyedit
Standardize the virus name to 'SARS-CoV-2' (with hyphen) throughout the manuscript.
Consistency with standard nomenclature improves readability and professionalism.
16.
LOWcopyedit
Replace 'TBD' in Table 1 with 'Not determined' or specify the actual value if available.
Undefined abbreviations in tables can confuse readers.
17.
LOWcopyedit
Add full URLs or dataset identifiers for the public 10x Genomics datasets referenced in the Methods.
Providing specific identifiers improves reproducibility of the bioinformatics analysis.

Full text (35,832 chars)Analyzed: Aug 1, 2026