Phenylalanine and COVID-19: Tracking disease severity markers

Autor(es)

Luporini, Rafael Luis ^{[1, 2]} ; Pott-Junior, Henrique ^[2] ; Leal, Maria Carolina B. Di Medeiros ^[3] ; Castro, Alex ^[3] ; Ferreira, Antonio Gilberto ^[3] ; Cominetti, Marcia Regina ^[4] ; Anibal, Fernanda de Freitas ^{[1, 5]}

Afiliação do(s) autor(es)

^[1] Fed Univ Sao Carlos UFSCar, Biotechnol Grad Program, Sao Carlos - Brazil

^[2] Fed Univ Sao Carlos UFSCar, Dept Med, Rod Washington Luis, Km 235, BR-13565905 Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

^[3] Fed Univ Sao Carlos UFSCar, Dept Chem, Sao Carlos - Brazil

^[4] Fed Univ Sao Carlos UFSCar, Dept Gerontol, Sao Carlos - Brazil

^[5] Fed Univ Sao Carlos UFSCar, Dept Biol Sci Parasitol, Sao Carlos - Brazil

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: International Immunopharmacology; v. 101, n. A DEC 2021.
• Citações Web of Science: 0

Resumo

Background: Although there are several severity predictors for COVID-19, none are specific. Serum levels of phenylalanine were recently associated with increased inflammation, higher SOFA scores, ICU admission, and mortality rates among non-COVID-19 patients. Here, we investigated the relationship between phenylalanine and inflammatory markers in adults with COVID-19. Methods: We assessed adults with COVID-19 at hospital admission for clinical and laboratory data. Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy measured serum levels of phenylalanine and other amino acids of its metabolomic pathway. Flow Cytometry measured serum levels of IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, Il-10, TNF-alpha, and IFN-gamma. Linear regression models adjusted for potential confounders assessed the relationship between serum levels of phenylalanine and inflammatory cytokines. Results: Phenylalanine and tyrosine were significantly lower in mild disease as compared to moderate and severe groups. Linear regression models showed that phenylalanine is independently and positively associated with disease severity regardless of the cytokine analyzed and after adjustment for potential confounders. In addition, mild cases showed consistently lower serum phenylalanine levels within the first ten days from disease onset to hospital admission. Conclusions: Phenylalanine is a marker of disease severity. This association is independent of the time between the onset of symptoms and the magnitude of the inflammatory state. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 20/13939-7 - Análise metabolômica por ressonância magnética nuclear (RMN) e espectrometria de massas (LC-MS) de amostras sanguíneas de indivíduos submetidos à reabilitação cardiorrespiratória.
• Beneficiário: Alex Castro
• Modalidade de apoio: Bolsas no Brasil - Pós-Doutorado
• Processo FAPESP: 14/50867-3 - INCT 2014: Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia de Bioanalítica
• Beneficiário: Marco Aurelio Zezzi Arruda
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Temático
• Processo FAPESP: 19/16135-9 - Controle biorracional de insetos pragas e fitopatógenos
• Beneficiário: Maria Carolina Bezerra di Medeiros Leal
• Modalidade de apoio: Bolsas no Brasil - Pós-Doutorado