Biomarkers of inflammation and cytokine storm: a relationship with the production levels of virus-specific IgG isotype antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 N-protein in COVID-19 present and vaccinated persons

Abstract

 COVID-19 has become a planetary emergency which is seriously threatening human health. Comparative studies can shed light on the molecular mechanisms of the formation of humoral antiviral immunity in persons who have undergone the disease and have been vaccinated against the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Serum levels of biomarkers of inflammation and cytokine storm (procalcitonin, sCD14, sLBP, sTREM1, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, sWnt5a, TNFα and TNFβ) were determined by enzyme immunoassay. We studied the relationship between the content of biomarkers in blood serum with low and high concentrations of antiviral antibodies, indirect indicators of which are the values of the positivity coefficient (CP). A significant increase in the serum levels of sTREM1, IL-6, and procalcitonin was found in persons with a high CP level after infection. A significant increase in IL-6 and PCT was revealed in persons vaccinated with the Sputnik V vaccine, both with a low level of CP and with a high one. In vaccinated individuals with a low CP level, a significant increase in the sTREM1 content was also observed. It has been shown that the content of sCD14 (presepsin) is significantly lower in vaccinated individuals, both with low and high CP, compared with donors. When studying the correlations between CP and serum biomarkers in vaccinated individuals, a weak inverse correlation was found for sLBP (r = –0.465) and IL-6 (r = –0.437), as well as an average inverse correlation for sTREM1 (r = –0.508).