DSG1 and COVID-19: Desmoplakin (DSP) protein was detectable and at higher levels in both acute COVID-19 ITU patients (86% [n = 18/21], 4.08 ng/ml [2.45–6.25]) and individuals admitted to the ITU for reasons other than COVID-19 infection (68% [n = 13/19], 1.66 ng/ml [0.94–4.31]) compared with healthy controls (42% [n = 13/33], 0.95 ng/ml [0.50–1.61], P = 0.0004) (Fig. 1A) Junction plakoglobin (JUP) protein levels found no discernible pattern that discriminated COVID-19 infection or acute disease across the cohorts (Fig. 1B) along with DSG1 and DSG3 protein levels (data not shown).