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

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.