Background: COVID-19 pandemic spread around the world like an infectious disease that presents waved effects on patients. Some patients needed ICU and respiratory support. Some patients only had flu-like symptoms. Cytokine storm and elevated ROS were serious problems for treatment. Apoptotic genes and CYP Family are part of these mechanisms.
Aim: In this study, our aim was to examine the gene expression CYP2E1 and Caspase-3 in patients with COVID-19 infection.
Method: 60 COVID-19(+) patients (ICU and non-ICU patients) and 30 healthy volunteers were enrolled to study. To measure the level of gene expression qPCR was used. The 2-ΔΔCt method was utilized to analyze gene expression.
Results: The expression of CYP2E1 and Caspase-3 genes showed a significant discrepancy between patients and healthy individuals. Caspase-3 expression increased (p=0,0041) but CYP2E1 expression decreased (p=0,0214) in COVID-19 patients compared to healthy individuals. Both levels of gene expression were lower in patients with affected lungs than patients with unaffected lungs (p<0,05). Laboratory findings including d-Dimer, LDH, platelet count, lymphocyte count were related to both gene expressions (p<0,05). We found no correlation between CYP2E1 and Caspase-3 expressions.
Conclusion: The expression of Caspase-3 demonstrated apoptotic situations of patients but was not related to the CYP2E1 expression level. CYP2E1 gene expression is an important actor to metabolize endogens and xenobiotics however, COVID-19 patients demonstrated decreased CYP2E1 expression. CYP2E1 and Caspase-3 gene expression levels may be used as a diagnostic tool for COVID-19 patients.
Keywords: CCYP2E1; COVID-19; Caspase-3; SARS-CoV-2.
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