COVID-19 represents a public health emergency, whose mechanism of which is not fully understood. It is speculated that microRNAs may play a crucial role in host cells after infection by SARS-CoV-2. Thus, our study aimed to analyze the expression of miR-200c-3p in saliva samples from patients with COVID-19. One handred eleven samples from patients with COVID-19 were divided into 4 groups. Group I: 39 patients negative for Covid-19; Group II: 37 positive and symptomatic patients, with no indication of hospitalization; Group III: 21 patients with respiratory disorders (hospitalized); Group IV: 14 patients with severe conditions (oxygen therapy). The expression levels of miR-200c-3p were determined using qPCR. We found greater expression of miR-200c-3p in patients in group IV ( p <0.0001), and also verified that patients aged ≥42 years had a higher expression of this miR ( p =0.013). Logistic regression analysis revealed that the expression of miR-200c-3p and systemic arterial hypertension are factors independently associated with patients in group IV ( p <0.0001). Our results suggest that miR-200c-3p is a predictor of severity independent of COVID-19 risk factors, which could represent a way of screening patients affected by SARS-CoV-2.
【저자키워드】 COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, Biomarkers, microRNA, 【초록키워드】 Saliva, Risk factors, severity, Infection, Symptomatic patients, qPCR, Patient, Oxygen therapy, public health emergency, group, expression, mechanism, host cell, regression analysis, Factor, expression level, positive, systemic arterial hypertension, respiratory disorder, independent, greater, affected, condition, groups, patients with COVID-19, 【제목키워드】 Clinical course, expression, worsening, patients with COVID-19,