Serum trace elements levels and clinical outcomes among Iranian COVID-19 patients.

OBJECTIVES: The relationship between immunity and trace elements levels is well known. We aimed to estimate the association of serum trace elements with severity and outcomes in the Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) patients. METHODS: In this single-centered, prospective, observational study, we enrolled 114 patients admitted to severe intensive care units (ICUs) and corresponding 112 sex and aged-matched non-ICU ward patients. Demographic data, clinical characteristics, and outcomes were all collected. We analyzed serum levels of zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), selenium (Se), and manganese (Mn) in both severity groups. RESULTS: The serum levels of Cu, Se, and Mn in both groups were within the normal range while Zn serum levels were lower than normal values. Based on these findings, Zn, Cu, Se, and Mn serum levels were not associated with disease severity (P > 0.05), while we found Zn serum levels were strongly associated with patient outcomes (P = 0.005). Our results indicated lower Mn serum levels were associated with age more than 55 years (P= 0.006). Our results were not in favor of a causal relationship between serum trace elements levels and disease severity. CONCLUSION: We found Zn level to be a strong indicator for patients' outcomes that can be considered for monitoring patient prognosis. Nutritional measures or supplementation can help reduce poor outcomes caused by low Zn levels in Iranian COVID-19 patients.

Lung Altered Expression of IL-1ß mRNA and Its Signaling Pathway Molecules in Obese-asthmatic Male Wistar Rats.

Epidemiological and clinical studies indicate a close relationship between obesity and asthma. Here, we determined the impact of diet-induced obesity on the expression levels of IL-1ß, IRAK-1 and TRAF-6 mRNA as well as IL-1ß protein level and pathological changes in male Wistar rat's lung after sensitization with ovalbumin (OVA). Twenty male Wistar rats divided into four groups, control with normal diet (C+ND), OVA-sensitized with normal diet (S+ND), control with high-fat diet (C+HFD), and OVA-sensitized with high-fat diet (S+HFD). All rats fed for 12 weeks with standard pellets or high-fat diet while sensitization and challenging with OVA or saline were done for groups in the last month. In the end of intervention, lung was isolated and tested for the expression levels of IL-1ß, IRAK-1 and TRAF-6 mRNA with real time-PCR method, and pathological changes were determined. Diet-induced obesity groups showed increased weight, obesity indexes and lipid profiles The expression levels of IL-1ß mRNA in OVA-sensitization groups (S+ND and S+HFD) showed a significant increase compared with other groups. Also in S+HFD group, expression level of IRAK-1 and TRAF-6 mRNA were markedly higher than other groups (p<0.001). The pathological changes were marked in sensitized groups compared to non-sensitized groups; with marked increase in obese sensitized rat. The results showed that high fat diet caused overexpression of IL-1ß, IRAK-1 and TRAF-6 mRNA as well as IL-1ß protein in an experimental model of asthma. Our results suggest that obese-asthmatic conditions may lead to the local production and activation of pro-inflammatory agents.

Tracheal overexpression of IL-1ß, IRAK-1 and TRAF-6 mRNA in obese-asthmatic male Wistar rats.

OBJECTIVES: Human and animal studies have shown a close relationship between obesity and asthma severity. Here, we examined the effects of diet-induced obesity (DIO) on the expression levels of IL-1ß, IRAK-1 and TRAF-6 mRNA in male Wistar rats tracheal after sensitization with ovalbumin (OVA). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty male Wistar rats divided to four groups, included, control group with normal diet (C+ND), OVA-sensitized group with normal diet (S+ND), control group with high-fat diet (C+HFD), and OVA-sensitized group with high-fat diet (S+HFD). All animals fed for 8 weeks with standard pelts or high-fat diet, and then were sensitized and challenged with OVA or saline for another 4 weeks with designed regimens. At the end of study, trachea isolated and examined for expression levels of IL-1ß, IRAK-1 and TRAF-6 mRNA with RT-PCR method. RESULTS: Diet-induced obesity groups developed increased weight, obesity indexes and lipid profiles (P<0.05 to P<0.001). The expression levels of IL-1ß mRNA in OVA-sensitization groups (S+ND and S+HFD) showed a significantly increased when compared with control group. Also in S+HFD group, expression level of TRAF-6 mRNA was higher than other groups (P<0.001). IRAK-1 expression level was high in S+HFD compared with control group.IL-1ß and TRAF-6 mRNA correlated positively with obesity indexes. CONCLUSION: The results showed that DIO causes overexpression of IL-1ß, IRAK-1 and TRAF-6 mRNA in an experimental model of asthma. Our results suggested that in obese-asthmatic conditions locally production and activation of pro-inflammatory agents can be increased. These findings showed that possible mechanism for obesity-asthma relationships.