Abstract
Background
To determine and compare nasopharyngeal microbiota (NM) composition, in vitro basal (Nil tube), provoked (Mitogen tube) production of cytokines at the early stage of COVID-19.
Methods
This cross-sectional study included 4 age and sex-matched study groups; group 1 (recovered COVID-19) (n = 26), group 2 (mild COVID-19) (n = 24), group 3 (severe COVID-19) (n = 25), and group 4 (healthy controls) (n = 25). The study parameters obtained from the COVID-19 (group 2, and 3) at the early phase of hospital admission.
Results
The results from the reaserch deoicted that the Mean ± SD age was 53.09 ± 14.51 years. Some of the in vitro cytokines production was significantly different between the study groups. Some of the findinggs on cytokines depicted a significant differences between study groups were interleukin (IL)-1β Nil, IL-1β Mitogen, and their subtraction (i.e Mitogen-Nil). Regarding IL-10, and IL-17a levels, Mitogen, and Mitogen-Nil tube production levels were significantly different between the groups. Surprisingly, most of these measures were lowest in the severe COVID-19 patients’ group. Using discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe), Taxa of NM with significant abundance was determined. About 20 taxa with an LDA score > 4 were identified as candidate biomarkers. Some of these taxa showed a significant correlation with IL-1β and IL-10 Mitogen and Mitogen- Nil levels (R > 0.3 or < -0.3, p < 0.05).
Conclusions
The findings of this perticular study regarting the early stage of COVID-19 showed that in vitro cytokines production, studies might be more useful than the ordinary cytokines' blood level measurement. Besides, the study identified some NM species that could be candidate biomarkers in managing this infection. However, further detailed studies are needed in these fields.
【저자키워드】 COVID-19, cytokine, virus, microbiota, Dysbiosis, In-vitro, Quantiferon test, 【초록키워드】 Biomarker, Biomarkers, severe COVID-19, cross-sectional, Infection, in vitro, nasopharyngeal, Mild, age, Hospital admission, IL-10, correlation, early stage, IL-1β, Blood level, Analysis, significant difference, study group, early phase, measure, study groups, healthy controls, effect size, mitogen, parameter, lowest, Result, significantly, was determined, determine, groups, 【제목키워드】 COVID-19 infection, nasopharyngeal, early stage, cytokine production,