Plasma Levels of MMPs and TIMP-1 in Patients with Osteoarthritis After Recovery from COVID-19.

BACKGROUND: Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and their tissue inhibitors (TIMPS) play a key role in the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis (OA). Recent research showed the involvement of some MMPs in COVID-19, but the results are limited and contradictory. OBJECTIVE: In this study, we investigated the levels of MMPs (MMP-1, MMP-2, MMP-3, MMP-8, MMP-9, MMP-10) and TIMP-1 in the plasma of patients with OA after recovery from COVID- 19. METHODS: The experiment involved patients aged 39 to 80 diagnosed with knee OA. All study participants were divided into three research groups: the control group included healthy individuals, the group OA included patients with enrolled cases of OA, and the third group of OA and COVID-19 included patients with OA who recovered from COVID-19 6-9 months ago. The levels of MMPs and TIMP-1 were measured in plasma by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: The study showed a change in the levels of MMPs in patients with OA who had COVID- 19 and those who did not have a history of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Particularly, patients with OA who were infected with coronavirus established an increase in MMP-2, MMP-3, MMP-8, and MMP-9, compared to healthy controls. Compared to normal subjects, a significant decrease in MMP-10 and TIMP-1 was established in both groups of patients with OA and convalescent COVID-19. CONCLUSION: Thus, the results suggest that COVID-19 can affect the proteolysis-antiproteolysis system even after a long postinfectious state and may cause complications of existing musculoskeletal pathologies.

Cytokine profile in patients with osteoarthritis after SARS-CoV-2 infection

BACKGROUND: Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) іnfection induces a pro-inflammatory state of an organism with long-term systemic consequences as a result. Systemic inflammation, characterized by a high circulating level of inflammatory cytokines, is a significant factor influencing articular cartilage metabolism in osteoarthritis (OA). This study aimed to determine the levels of pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines in plasma of patients with OA following SARS-CoV-2 infection and to compare them with those of healthy controls. METHODS: The experiment involved patients of the Orthopedic Specialty Clinic aged 46 to 69 diagnosed with knee OA. Among persons with joint pathology a group of convalescent patients from 6-9 months after COVID-19 was identified. The control group involved relatively healthy donors. The plasma levels of pro-inflammatory (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-12β, tumor necrosis factor α [TNF-α], interferon-gamma [IFN-γ]) and anti-inflammatory (IL-4 and IL-10) cytokines were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: It was established that in patients with OA, as well as after suffering from SARS-CoV-2 infection, an increase in the plasma levels of IL-1β was observed against the background of a decrease in the levels of IL-4, IL-8, IL-10, IL- 12β, TNF-α and IFN-γ, compared to the healthy controls. COVID-19 more significantly influenced the plasma levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1β and IL-12β. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate the imbalance of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines in the plasma in patients with OA for a long post- COVID. Сhanges in the levels of inflammatory mediators suggest distinct immunoregulatory mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of both joint pathology and systemic disorders caused by SARS-CoV-2. [ FROM AUTHOR]