Evaluation of the interaction between tumor growth factor-β and interferon type I pathways in patients with COVID-19: focusing on ages 1 to 90 years

Abstract

Abstract Background Evidence revealed that age could affect immune responses in patients with the acute respiratory syndrome of coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. This study investigated the impact of age on immune responses, especially on the interaction between the tumor growth factor-β (TGF-β) and interferon type-I (IFN-I) axes in the pathogenesis of novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Methods This age-matched case–control investigation enrolled 41 COVID-19 patients and 40 healthy controls categorized into four groups, including group 1 (up to 20 years), group 2 (20–40 years), group 3 (40–60 years), and group 4 (over 60 years). Blood samples were collected at the time of admission. The expression of TGF-βRI, TGF-βRII, IFNARI, IFNARII, interferon regulatory factor 9 (IRF9), and SMAD family member 3 (SMAD3) was measured using the real-time PCR technique. In addition, serum levels of TGF-β, IFN-α, and SERPINE1 were measured by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique. All biomarkers were measured and analyzed in the four age studies groups. Results The expression of TGF-βRI, TGF-βRII, IFNARI, IFNARII, IRF9, and SMAD3 was markedly upregulated in all age groups of patients compared with the matched control groups. Serum levels of IFN-α and SERPINE1 were significantly higher in patient groups than in control groups. While TGF-β serum levels were only significantly elevated in the 20 to 40 and over 60 years patient group than in matched control groups. Conclusions These data showed that the age of patients, at least at the time of admission, may not significantly affect TGF-β- and IFN-I-associated immune responses. However, it is possible that the severity of the disease affects these pathway-mediated responses, and more studies with a larger sample size are needed to verify it.