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Pius-Sadowska E, Kulig P, Niedźwiedź A, Baumert B, Łuczkowska K, Rogińska D, Sobuś A, Ulańczyk Z, Kawa M, Paczkowska E, Parczewski M, Machalińska A, Machaliński B. VEGFR and DPP-IV as Markers of Severe COVID-19 and Predictors of ICU Admission. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:17003. [PMID: 38069327 PMCID: PMC10707633 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242317003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2023] [Revised: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The pathophysiology of the severe course of COVID-19 is multifactorial and not entirely elucidated. However, it is well known that the hyperinflammatory response and cytokine storm are paramount events leading to further complications. In this paper, we investigated the vascular response in the pathophysiology of severe COVID-19 and aimed to identify novel biomarkers predictive of ICU admission. The study group consisted of 210 patients diagnosed with COVID-19 (age range: 18-93; mean ± SD: 57.78 ± 14.16), while the control group consisted of 80 healthy individuals. We assessed the plasma concentrations of various vascular factors using the Luminex technique. Then, we isolated RNA from blood mononuclear cells and performed a bioinformatics analysis investigating various processes related to vascular response, inflammation and angiogenesis. Our results confirmed that severe COVID-19 is associated with vWF/ADAMTS 13 imbalance. High plasma concentrations of VEGFR and low DPP-IV may be potential predictors of ICU admission. SARS-CoV-2 infection impairs angiogenesis, hinders the generation of nitric oxide, and thus impedes vasodilation. The hypercoagulable state develops mainly in the early stages of the disease, which may contribute to the well-established complications of COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ewa Pius-Sadowska
- Department of General Pathology, Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, Al. Powstańców Wielkopolskich 72, 70-111 Szczecin, Poland; (P.K.); (A.N.); (B.B.); (K.Ł.); (D.R.); (A.S.); (Z.U.); (E.P.)
| | - Piotr Kulig
- Department of General Pathology, Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, Al. Powstańców Wielkopolskich 72, 70-111 Szczecin, Poland; (P.K.); (A.N.); (B.B.); (K.Ł.); (D.R.); (A.S.); (Z.U.); (E.P.)
| | - Anna Niedźwiedź
- Department of General Pathology, Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, Al. Powstańców Wielkopolskich 72, 70-111 Szczecin, Poland; (P.K.); (A.N.); (B.B.); (K.Ł.); (D.R.); (A.S.); (Z.U.); (E.P.)
| | - Bartłomiej Baumert
- Department of General Pathology, Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, Al. Powstańców Wielkopolskich 72, 70-111 Szczecin, Poland; (P.K.); (A.N.); (B.B.); (K.Ł.); (D.R.); (A.S.); (Z.U.); (E.P.)
| | - Karolina Łuczkowska
- Department of General Pathology, Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, Al. Powstańców Wielkopolskich 72, 70-111 Szczecin, Poland; (P.K.); (A.N.); (B.B.); (K.Ł.); (D.R.); (A.S.); (Z.U.); (E.P.)
| | - Dorota Rogińska
- Department of General Pathology, Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, Al. Powstańców Wielkopolskich 72, 70-111 Szczecin, Poland; (P.K.); (A.N.); (B.B.); (K.Ł.); (D.R.); (A.S.); (Z.U.); (E.P.)
| | - Anna Sobuś
- Department of General Pathology, Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, Al. Powstańców Wielkopolskich 72, 70-111 Szczecin, Poland; (P.K.); (A.N.); (B.B.); (K.Ł.); (D.R.); (A.S.); (Z.U.); (E.P.)
| | - Zofia Ulańczyk
- Department of General Pathology, Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, Al. Powstańców Wielkopolskich 72, 70-111 Szczecin, Poland; (P.K.); (A.N.); (B.B.); (K.Ł.); (D.R.); (A.S.); (Z.U.); (E.P.)
| | - Miłosz Kawa
- Department of General Pathology, Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, Al. Powstańców Wielkopolskich 72, 70-111 Szczecin, Poland; (P.K.); (A.N.); (B.B.); (K.Ł.); (D.R.); (A.S.); (Z.U.); (E.P.)
| | - Edyta Paczkowska
- Department of General Pathology, Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, Al. Powstańców Wielkopolskich 72, 70-111 Szczecin, Poland; (P.K.); (A.N.); (B.B.); (K.Ł.); (D.R.); (A.S.); (Z.U.); (E.P.)
| | - Miłosz Parczewski
- Department of Infectious, Tropical Diseases and Immune Deficiency, Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, Arkońska 4 Street, 71-455 Szczecin, Poland;
| | - Anna Machalińska
- First Department of Ophthalmology, Pomeranian Medical University, Al. Powstańców Wielkopolskich 72, 70-111 Szczecin, Poland;
| | - Bogusław Machaliński
- Department of General Pathology, Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, Al. Powstańców Wielkopolskich 72, 70-111 Szczecin, Poland; (P.K.); (A.N.); (B.B.); (K.Ł.); (D.R.); (A.S.); (Z.U.); (E.P.)
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