ABSTRACT
In mid-December 2021, the B.1.1.529 (Omicron) variant of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, surpassed the B.1.617.2 (Delta) variant as the predominant strain in California.§ Initial reports suggest that the Omicron variant is more transmissible and resistant to vaccine neutralization but causes less severe illness compared with previous variants (1-3). To describe characteristics of patients hospitalized with SARS-CoV-2 infection during periods of Delta and Omicron predominance, clinical characteristics and outcomes were retrospectively abstracted from the electronic health records (EHRs) of adults aged ≥18 years with positive reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) SARS-CoV-2 test results admitted to one academic hospital in Los Angeles, California, during July 15-September 23, 2021 (Delta predominant period, 339 patients) and December 21, 2021-January 27, 2022 (Omicron predominant period, 737 patients). Compared with patients during the period of Delta predominance, a higher proportion of adults admitted during Omicron predominance had received the final dose in a primary COVID-19 vaccination series (were fully vaccinated) (39.6% versus 25.1%), and fewer received COVID-19-directed therapies. Although fewer required intensive care unit (ICU) admission and invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV), and fewer died while hospitalized during Omicron predominance, there were no significant differences in ICU admission or IMV when stratified by vaccination status. Fewer fully vaccinated Omicron-period patients died while hospitalized (3.4%), compared with Delta-period patients (10.6%). Among Omicron-period patients, vaccination was associated with lower likelihood of ICU admission, and among adults aged ≥65 years, lower likelihood of death while hospitalized. Likelihood of ICU admission and death were lowest among adults who had received a booster dose. Among the first 131 Omicron-period hospitalizations, 19.8% of patients were clinically assessed as admitted for non-COVID-19 conditions. Compared with adults considered likely to have been admitted because of COVID-19, these patients were younger (median age = 38 versus 67 years) and more likely to have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine (84.6% versus 61.0%). Although 20% of SARS-CoV-2-associated hospitalizations during the period of Omicron predominance might be driven by non-COVID-19 conditions, large numbers of hospitalizations place a strain on health systems. Vaccination, including a booster dose for those who are fully vaccinated, remains critical to minimizing risk for severe health outcomes among adults with SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Subject(s)
COVID-19/epidemiology , COVID-19/virology , Hospitalization/statistics & numerical data , SARS-CoV-2 , Vaccination/statistics & numerical data , Adult , Aged , Female , Humans , Los Angeles/epidemiology , Male , Middle Aged , Patient AcuityABSTRACT
Triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-2 (TREM2) is a cell surface receptor on macrophages and microglia that senses and responds to disease-associated signals to regulate the phenotype of these innate immune cells. The TREM2 signaling pathway has been implicated in a variety of diseases ranging from neurodegeneration in the central nervous system to metabolic disease in the periphery. Here, we report that TREM2 is a thyroid hormone-regulated gene and its expression in macrophages and microglia is stimulated by thyroid hormone and synthetic thyroid hormone agonists (thyromimetics). Our findings report the endocrine regulation of TREM2 by thyroid hormone, and provide a unique opportunity to drug the TREM2 signaling pathway with orally active small-molecule therapeutic agents.
Subject(s)
Acetates/pharmacology , Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental/drug therapy , Membrane Glycoproteins/genetics , Microglia/drug effects , Phenols/pharmacology , Receptors, Immunologic/genetics , Retinoid X Receptors/genetics , Thyroid Hormones/pharmacology , Acetates/chemical synthesis , Animals , Binding Sites , Brain/drug effects , Brain/immunology , Brain/pathology , Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental/genetics , Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental/immunology , Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental/pathology , Gene Expression Regulation , Humans , Immunity, Innate , Macrophages/drug effects , Macrophages/immunology , Macrophages/pathology , Membrane Glycoproteins/antagonists & inhibitors , Membrane Glycoproteins/immunology , Mice , Mice, Inbred C57BL , Microglia/immunology , Microglia/pathology , Models, Molecular , Phenols/chemical synthesis , Phenoxyacetates/pharmacology , Promoter Regions, Genetic , Protein Binding , Protein Conformation, alpha-Helical , Protein Conformation, beta-Strand , Protein Interaction Domains and Motifs , RNA, Messenger/antagonists & inhibitors , RNA, Messenger/genetics , RNA, Messenger/immunology , Receptors, Immunologic/antagonists & inhibitors , Receptors, Immunologic/immunology , Response Elements , Retinoid X Receptors/chemistry , Retinoid X Receptors/metabolism , Signal TransductionABSTRACT
The rapid spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) - coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has raised a severe global public health issue and creates a pandemic situation. The present work aims to study the molecular -docking and dynamic of three pertinent medicinal plants i.e. Eurycoma harmandiana, Sophora flavescens and Andrographis paniculata phyto-compounds against SARS-COV-2 papain-like protease (PLpro) and main protease (Mpro)/3-chymotrypsin-like protease (3CLpro). The interaction of protein targets and ligands was performed through AutoDock-Vina visualized using PyMOL and BIOVIA-Discovery Studio 2020. Molecular docking with canthin-6-one 9-O-beta-glucopyranoside showed highest binding affinity and less binding energy with both PLpro and Mpro/3CLpro proteases and was subjected to molecular dynamic (MD) simulations for a period of 100ns. Stability of the protein-ligand complexes was evaluated by different analyses. The binding free energy calculated using MM-PBSA and the results showed that the molecule must have stable interactions with the protein binding site. ADMET analysis of the compounds suggested that it is having drug-like properties like high gastrointestinal (GI) absorption, no blood-brain barrier permeability and high lipophilicity. The outcome revealed that canthin-6-one 9-O-beta-glucopyranoside can be used as a potential natural drug against COVID-19 protease.
ABSTRACT
The latest outbreak of a respiratory disease, known as coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19), is the third virus spillover from animals to humans in the last two decades. The disease is caused by coronavirus and has converted into an epidemic in recent days. It spread via direct contact or droplets of nasal-discharge from one human-to-another within the mean-incubation period of 6.5 days. Dyspnea, cough and fever are the most common symptoms in the patients of COVID-19, though along with diarrhea in 3% cases. Bilateral pulmonary with ground-glass opacity and consolidation has been observed in 98% cases of the disease by the help of computed tomography. The treatment process of COVID-19 with chloroquine and remdesivir drug is under the clinical trial worldwide and responding well to cure the disease. Under the prevalent circumstances, the main goal is to control the widespread infection of SARS-CoV-2 across the world and to aware the public regarding the possible preventive measures and treatments. However, the public health authorities should keep a close eye on the circumstances strictly, as the more we know about this novel coronavirus and its outbreak, the better we can respond or control the conditions worldwide.