Cytokine profile in multiple sclerosis patients with and without Covid-19.

OBJECTIVE: Aim: To investigate the possible effect of COVID-19 disease on cytokine profile and some circulating growth factors in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Materials and Methods: Serum cytokine levels as well as growth factors content were assessed be means of a solid phase enzyme linked­immunosorbent assay in 97 MS patients of which 41 had and 56 did not have confirmed COVID-19 in the past 4-6-month period, and 30 healthy individuals who were age­, and gender­matched. RESULTS: Results: Some proinflammatory cytokine (such as TNFα, IFNγ) levels were higher while anti-inflammatory cytokine, namely IL­4, was lower in MS patients compared to controls indicating Th1/Th2 imbalance. Our findings revealed that the imbalance of circulating Th1/Th2 cytokines in MS patients after SARS-CoV-2 infection became even more pronounced, thus, might be a reason for the disease deterioration. Furthermore, nuclear factor κB level in MS patients after COVID-19 was found significantly elevated from that with no history of SARS-CoV-2 infection, and could be the cause of proinflammatory cytokines overexpression. CONCLUSION: Conclusions: Our findings revealed that immunopathology of MS is associated with a Th1/Th2 imbalance, furthermore, SARS-CoV-2 infection can lead to the deterioration of this condition in MS patients, causing even more pronounced overexpression of proinflammatory cytokines and decrease in anti-inflammatory cytokines. Our results also indicated that studied growth factors can be involved in MS development but exact mechanism is not clearly understood and requires further research.

The influence of immunoglobulin class G from blood plasma of patients with stroke on the activity of some parameters of hemostasis system.

Today, cardiovascular diseases are one of the main causes of disability of the population. Most of the illnesses, including stroke, are accompanied by the appearance immunoglobulin G (IgG) in the blood circulation. According to the literature sources and previous experiments, it is known that IgG made influence on the hemostasis system. Objectives of the investigation are pure enzymes: thrombin, factor X, proenzyme of protein C and prothrombin under the influence of IgG fraction that were separated from the plasma of patients with atherothrombotic and cardioembolic ischemic stroke and patients with other neurological diseases. IgG was separated by affinity chromatography. Disc electrophoresis was used to control antibodies' purity. The main goal of the experiment is to test the potential influence of all fractions of separated IgG on the process of hydrolysis of specific chromogenic substrates by the key factors of the hemostasis system such as thrombin, factor X and protein C. The appearance of IgG in the blood stream during the atherothrombotic and cardioembolic ischemic stroke and other neurological diseases was proved. Concentration of the IgG in plasma of patients with cardioembolic ischemic stroke was significantly higher compared with healthy donors, whereas the IgG in plasma of patients with atherothrombotic ischemic stroke and other neurological disorders was not significantly different. Their potential ability to influence the enzymes such as thrombin, factor X, proenzyme of protein C and prothrombin was shown. It was proved that the antibody fractions of all experimental groups significantly accelerate the process of splitting chromogenic substrate by thrombin but inhibited cleavage of a specific chromogenic substrate by protein C.