Immunomodulatory role of Nanocurcumin in COVID-19 patients with dropped natural killer cells frequency and function.

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is still a challenging problem in the case of infection treatment. The immunomodulatory effect of Nanocurcumin was investigated in the present study in an attempt to counterbalance the immune response and improve the patients' clinical symptoms. 60 confirmed COVID-19 patients and 60 healthy controls enrolled in the study. COVID-19 patients were divided into Nanocurcumin and placebo received groups. Due to the importance of the role of NK cells in this disease, the frequency, cytotoxicity, receptor gene expression of NK cells, and serum secretion levels of inflammatory cytokines IL-1ß, IL-6, TNF-α, as well as circulating C5a as a chemotactic factor an inflammatory mediator was evaluated by flow cytometry, real-time PCR and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in both experimental groups before and after the intervention. Given the role of measured factors in the progression and pathogenesis of COVID-19 disease, the results can help find appropriate treatments. The results of this study indicated that the Nanocurcumin could significantly increase the frequency and function of NK cells compared to the placebo-treated group. As an immunomodulatory agent, Nanocurcumin may be a helpful choice to improve NK cell function in COVID-19 patients and improve the clinical outcome of patients.

Th17 and Treg cells function in SARS-CoV2 patients compared with healthy controls.

In the course of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), raising and reducing the function of Th17 and Treg cells, respectively, elicit hyperinflammation and disease progression. The current study aimed to evaluate the responses of Th17 and Treg cells in COVID-19 patients compared with the control group. Forty COVID-19 intensive care unit (ICU) patients were compared with 40 healthy controls. The frequency of cells, gene expression of related factors, as well as the secretion levels of cytokines, were measured by flow cytometry, real-time polymerase chain reaction, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay techniques, respectively. The findings revealed a significant increase in the number of Th17 cells, the expression levels of related factors (RAR-related orphan receptor gamma [RORγt], IL-17, and IL-23), and the secretion levels of IL-17 and IL-23 cytokines in COVID-19 patients compared with controls. In contrast, patients had a remarkable reduction in the frequency of Treg cells, the expression levels of correlated factors (Forkhead box protein P3 [FoxP3], transforming growth factor-ß [TGF-ß], and IL-10), and cytokine secretion levels (TGF-ß and IL-10). The ratio of Th17/Treg cells, RORγt/FoxP3, and IL-17/IL-10 had a considerable enhancement in patients compared with the controls and also in dead patients compared with the improved cases. The findings showed that enhanced responses of Th17 cells and decreased responses of Treg cells in 2019-n-CoV patients compared with controls had a strong relationship with hyperinflammation, lung damage, and disease pathogenesis. Also, the high ratio of Th17/Treg cells and their associated factors in COVID-19-dead patients compared with improved cases indicates the critical role of inflammation in the mortality of patients.