The prognostic value of S100A calcium binding protein family members in predicting severe forms of COVID-19

• Published in: Inflammation research Vol. 71; no. 3; pp. 369 - 376
• Main Authors: Bagheri-Hosseinabadi, Zahra, Abbasi, Mohadese, Kahnooji, Mahmood, Ghorbani, Zainab, Abbasifard, Mitra
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cham Springer International Publishing 01-03-2022
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Allergology; Annexin A2 - genetics; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Calgranulin B - genetics; COVID-19 - blood; COVID-19 - genetics; Dermatology; Female; Humans; Immunology; Male; Middle Aged; Neurology; Original; Original Research Article; Pharmacology/Toxicology; Prognosis; Rheumatology; RNA, Messenger - blood; S100 Calcium-Binding Protein A4 - genetics; S100 Proteins - genetics; SARS-CoV-2; Severity of Illness Index; Inflammation; S100A4; Coronavirus disease 2019; S100A9; S100A10
• DOI: 10.1007/s00011-022-01545-7
• EISSN: 1420-908X
• ISSN: 1023-3830

Background
Excessive inflammation has been implicated in the immunopathogenesis of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). In the current study, the involvement of S100 calcium binding protein S100A4, S100A9, and S100A10 in the inflammatory settings of COVID-19 patients were evaluated.
Methods
Peripheral blood samples were obtained from 65 COVID-19 subjects and 50 healthy controls. From the blood samples, RNA was extracted and cDNA was synthesized, and then the mRNA expression levels of S100A4, S100A9, and S100A10 were measured by Real-time PCR.
Results
The mRNA expression of S100A4 (fold change [FC] = 1.45,
P
 = 0.0011), S100A9 (FC = 1.47,
P
 = 0.0013), and S100A10 (FC = 1.35,
P
 = 0.0053) was significantly upregulated in COVID-19 patients than controls. The mRNA expression of S100A4 (FC = 1.43,
P
 = 0.0071), (FC = 1.66,
P
 = 0.0001), and S100A10 (FC = 1.63,
P
 = 0.0003) was significantly upregulated in the severe COVID-19 subjects than mild-to-moderate subjects. There was a significant positive correlation between mRNA expression of S100A4 (
ρ
 = 0.49,
P
 = 0.030), S100A9 (
ρ
 = 0.55,
P
 = 0.009), and S100A10 (
ρ
 = 0.39,
P
 = 0.040) and
d
-dimer in the COVID-19 patients. The AUC for S100A4, S100A9, and S100A10 mRNAs were 0.79 (95% CI 0.66–0.92,
P
 = 0.004), 0.80 (95% CI 0.67–0.93,
P
 = 0.002), and 0.71 (95% CI 0.56–0.85,
P
 = 0.010), respectively.
Conclusions
S100A4, S100A9, and S100A10 play a role in the inflammatory conditions in COVID-19 patients and have potential in prognosis of severe form of COVID-19. Targeting these modules, hopefully, might confer a therapeutic tool in preventing sever symptoms in the COVID-19 patients.