Cytokine profile in patients with osteoarthritis after SARS-CoV-2 infection

BACKGROUND: Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection induces a pro-inflammatory state of an organism with long-term systemic consequences as a result. Systemic inflammation, characterized by a high circulating level of inflammatory cytokines, is a significant factor influencing articular cartilage metabolism in osteoarthritis (OA). This study aimed to determine the levels of pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines in plasma of patients with OA following SARS-CoV-2 infection and to compare them withMETHODS: The experiment involved patients of the Orthopedic Specialty Clinic aged 46 to 69 diagnosed with knee OA. Among persons with joint pathology a group of convalescent patients from 6-9 months after COVID-19 was identified. The control group involved relatively healthy donors. The plasma levels of pro-inflammatory (IL-10, IL-6, IL-8, IL-120, tumor necrosis factor a [TNF-a], interferon-gamma [IFN-y]) and anti-inflammatory (IL-4 and IL-10) cytokines were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.RESULTS: It was established that in patients with OA, as well as after suffering from SARS-CoV-2 infection, an increase in the plasma levels of IL-10 was observed against the background of a decrease in the levels of IL-4, IL-8, IL-10, IL- 120, TNF-a and IFN-y, compared to the healthy controls. COVID-19 more significantly influenced the plasma levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-10 and IL-120. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate the imbalance of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines in the plasma in patients with OA for a long postCOVID. Changes in the levels of inflammatory mediators suggest distinct immunoregulatory mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of both joint pathology and systemic disorders caused by SARS-CoV-2. (Cite this article as: Krenytska D, Kot L, Halenova T, Raksha N, Vovk T, Savchuk O, et al. Cytokine profile in patients with osteoarthritis after SARSCoV-2 infection. Minerva Biotechnol Biomol Res 2022;34:196-203. DOI: 10.23736/S2724-542X.22.02943-1)