The neuropilin-1 content in the serum of patients with community-acquired pneumonia and COVID-19

• Denis A. Dyakov
• Olga E. Akbasheva
• Lyudmila V. Spirina
• Igor Yu. Shuvalov
• Amina E. Kebekbayeva
• Vladimir N. Masunov
• Nadezhda V. Masunova

Abstract

There is information about the role of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in the development of damage to the central and peripheral nervous system, violation of the blood-brain barrier integrity, which uses the transmembrane protein neuropilin-1 (NRP-1) as an entrance gate.

The aim of the study was to research the serum NRP-1 level in COVID-19 patients with bilateral community-acquired pneumonia.

Material and methods. In this study 92 patients were diagnosed with COVID-19 complicated by community-acquired bilateral polysegmental pneumonia. Patients were divided into two subgroups based on clinical data: with diabetes mellitus (n=15) and without it (n=77). Patients without diabetes mellitus were divided into groups depending on fasting blood serum glucose: group 1 – glucose level ≤6 mmol/l (n=31); group 2 – glucose level >6 mmol/l (n=46). The control group included 15 healthy people. The content of NRP-1 in blood serum was determined using the ELISA method.

Statistical analysis was performed using the Statistica 12.0 application software package (StatSoft Inc., USA). The Kolmogorov–Smirnov, Mann–Whitney test and nonparametric correlation analysis were used. The results are presented in the form of median, lower and upper quartile. The differences were considered statistically significant at p<0.05.

Results and discussion. The content of NRP-1 in the blood serum of patients with COVID-19 complicated by community-acquired bilateral polysegmental pneumonia was increased by 1.9 times in relation to practically healthy people group. At SpO₂>95, the NRP-1 level increased statistically significantly by 2.1 times, at SpO₂ ≤95 by 1.5 times. However, with the development of severe respiratory insufficiency, this indicator was 2.2 times lower then in patients with SpO₂ level >95 and similar to the control group value. In patients with COVID-19 complicated by community-acquired bilateral polysegmental pneumonia with a favorable outcome, the NRP-1 content increased 2.1 times compared to the control group, which is 2.7 times higher compared to patients with an unfavorable prognosis of the disease.

The content of NRP-1 decreased by 2.56 times in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. This indicator increased by 1.3 times in patients with glucose concentration >6 mmol/l compared with patients whose glucose concentration was <6 mmol/l. The use of glucocorticoids in the treatment of this category of patients practically did not affect the NRP-1 content, which remained high in both groups of patients.

Conclusion. An increase of the serum NRP-1 level in patients with COVID-19 complicated by community-acquired bilateral polysegmental pneumonia, including hyperglycemia, was revealed.

Keywords:neuropilin-1; COVID-19; pneumonia; hyperglycemia

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