Immunoglobulin A as a Key Immunological Molecular Signature of Post-COVID-19 Conditions.

COVID-19 has infected humans worldwide, causing millions of deaths or prolonged symptoms in survivors. The transient or persistent symptoms after SARS-CoV-2 infection have been defined as post-COVID-19 conditions (PCC). We conducted a study of 151 Brazilian PCC patients to analyze symptoms and immunoglobulin profiles, taking into account sex, vaccination, hospitalization, and age. Fatigue and myalgia were the most common symptoms, and lack of vaccination, hospitalization, and neuropsychiatric and metabolic comorbidities were relevant to the development of PCC. Analysis of serological immunoglobulins showed that IgA was higher in PCC patients, especially in the adult and elderly groups. Also, non-hospitalized and hospitalized PCC patients produced high and similar levels of IgA. Our results indicated that the detection of IgA antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 during the course of the disease could be associated with the development of PCC and may be an immunological signature to predict prolonged symptoms in COVID-19 patients.

D-Pinitol Increases Insulin Secretion and Regulates Hepatic Lipid Metabolism in Msg-Obese Mice.

D-pinitol is one of the major inositol found in plants and studies suggest its potential hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic actions in diabetic rodents. Here, we investigated the actions of D-pinitol on adiposity, and in lipid and glycemic homeostasis in monosodium glutamate (MSG)-obese mice. Swiss mice received daily subcutaneous injections of MSG [(4g/kg of body weight (BW)] or saline [1.25g/kg BW; control (CTL)] during their first five days of life. From 90-120 day-old, half of the MSG and CTL groups received 50 mg D-pinitol/kg BW/day (MPIN and CPIN groups) or vehicle (saline; MSG and CTL groups) by gavage. MSG mice displayed higher abdominal adiposity and hepatic triglycerides (TG) deposition, and increased hepatic expression of lipogenic genes (SREBP-1c, ACC-1 and FASN), but downregulation in AMPKα mRNA. MSG mice also exhibited hyperinsulinemia, islet hypersecretion and hypertrophy, glucose intolerance and insulin resistance. D-pinitol did not change adiposity, glucose intolerance, insulin resistance, but increased hepatic triglycerides (TG) content in MPIN mice, which was associated with increases in gene expressions of SREBP-1c and FASN, but reduction in AMPKα. Furthermore, D-pinitol enhanced insulin secretion in MPIN and CPIN groups. Therefore, D-pinitol enhanced glucose-induced insulin secretion, which may account to enhances hepatic lipogenesis and TG deposition in MPIN mice.