How May Obesity-Induced Oxidative Stress Affect the Outcome of COVID-19 Vaccines? Lesson Learned from the Infection

ABSTRACT

Concomitantly, the reduced sources of antioxidants, including superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, catalase, vitamin A, E, C and carotenoids in obese patients promotes a vulnerability to oxidative damage and consequently increases susceptibility to infections [14]. [...]obesity is associated with a state of metaflammation—chronic low-grade inflammation—a condition that, among other factors, contributes to inducing systemic OS. Characteristic hyperlipidaemia observed in obese patients stimulates monocytes and macrophages and induces the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interleukin (IL)-6 [16,18,19]. [...]in obese COVID-19 patients, the already pre-existing effects prompted by the lipid peroxidation-dependent OS could be further aggravated by SARS-CoV-2 infection [20], affecting the immune control system in response to infection and potentially increasing the severity of the lung disease and contributing to multiorgan failure. The results of the study demonstrated that the antibody titre was significantly higher in young and female participants compared to the male and older population. [...]the humoral response was significantly more efficient in subjects with lower and normal weight compared to overweight and obese subjects. [...]the consequence of OS on immunological functions and the evidence of weakened virus vaccine effectiveness in obese patients raise concerns about COVID-19 vaccine responsiveness in this population.