| Autor: |
Fernández-Rojas MA; Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Mexico City, Mexico., Ávila G; Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Mexico City, Mexico., Romero-Valdovinos M; Hospital General 'Dr. Manuel Gea González', SSA. Calzada de Tlalpan 4800, Col Seccion XVI, Mexico City, Mexico., Plett-Torres T; Plan de Estudios Combinados en Medicina, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Mexico City, Mexico., Salazar AM; Departamento de Medicina Genómica y Toxicología Ambiental, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Ciudad Universitaria, Mexico City, Mexico., Sordo M; Departamento de Medicina Genómica y Toxicología Ambiental, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Ciudad Universitaria, Mexico City, Mexico., Chávez-Vargas M; Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Mexico City, Mexico., Coeto Ángeles CJ; Hospital General 'Dr. Manuel Gea González', SSA. Calzada de Tlalpan 4800, Col Seccion XVI, Mexico City, Mexico., Cruz-Rivera M; Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Mexico City, Mexico., Santiago-Olivares C; Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Mexico City, Mexico., Ramírez Hinojosa JP; Hospital General 'Dr. Manuel Gea González', SSA. Calzada de Tlalpan 4800, Col Seccion XVI, Mexico City, Mexico., Maravilla P; Hospital General 'Dr. Manuel Gea González', SSA. Calzada de Tlalpan 4800, Col Seccion XVI, Mexico City, Mexico., Flisser A; Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Mexico City, Mexico., Ostrosky-Wegman P; Departamento de Medicina Genómica y Toxicología Ambiental, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Ciudad Universitaria, Mexico City, Mexico., Mendlovic F; Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Mexico City, Mexico.; Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Anáhuac México Norte, Huixquilucan, Mexico State, Mexico. |
| Abstrakt: |
Current evidence shows higher production of cytokines and antibodies against severe acute respiratory coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in severe and critical cases of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in comparison with patients with moderate or mild disease. A recent hypothesis proposes an important role of genotoxicity and cytotoxicity in the induction of the cytokine storm observed in some patients at later stages of the disease. Interestingly, in this study, we report significantly higher levels of interleukin (IL)-1 β , IL-6, MCP-1, and IL-4 cytokines in mild COVID-19 patients versus severe cases, as well as a high frequency of karyorrhexis (median [Me] = 364 vs. 20 cells) and karyolysis (Me = 266 vs. 52 cells) in the mucosal epithelial cells of both groups of patients compared with uninfected individuals. Although we observed higher levels of anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgM and IgG antibodies in COVID-19 patients, IgM antibodies were significantly higher only in mild cases, for the N and the S viral antigens. High levels of IgG antibodies were observed in both mild and severe cases. Our results showed elevated concentrations of proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines in mild cases, which may reflect an active innate immune response and could be related to the higher IgM and IgG antibody levels found in those patients. In addition, we found that SARS-CoV-2 infection induces cytotoxic damage in the oral mucosa, highlighting the importance of studying the genotoxic and cytotoxic events induced by infection and its role in the pathophysiology of COVID-19. |
