Expression of OLR1, ACAN, and LRP1 Genes in the Synovial Membrane Cells in Patients with Osteoarthritis after SARS-CoV2 Infection

• Published in: Cytology and genetics Vol. 57; no. 3; pp. 221 - 228
• Main Authors: Huet, A. S., Borodin, S. V., Dvorshchenko, K. O., Grebinyk, D. M., Savchuk, O. M., Ostapchenko, L. I.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Moscow Pleiades Publishing 01.06.2023; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Aggrecan; Arthritis; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Blood levels; Cholesterol; Chronic infection; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; Disease; Gene expression; Genes; Human Genetics; Hypercholesterolemia; Infections; Joint diseases; Knee; Low density lipoprotein; Osteoarthritis; Oxidation; Oxidative stress; Plasma; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; Superoxide anions; Synovial fluid; Synovial membrane; cholesterol; SARS-CoV-2; superoxide anion radical; genes; osteoarthritis; expression of
• ISSN: 0095-4527; 1934-9440
• DOI: 10.3103/S0095452723030118

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) poses a serious threat to human health. To date, predicting the course of chronic diseases in individuals who suffered from a coronavirus infection is a topical issue. Osteoarthritis is a chronic degenerative disease of the joints. It was demonstrated that this disease can be caused by different factors, namely, the effect of oxidative stress, hypercholesterolemia, increased aggrecan-degrading activity of specific proteinases against the background of a disorder of particular endocytic pathway, etc. Therefore, the aim of this work was to analyze the expression of the OLR1 , ACAN , and LRP1 genes in the synovial membrane cells in patients with osteoarthritis after SARS-CoV2 infection. The study involved 60 men aged 50 to 55. The volunteers were divided into the following groups: the first group ( n = 20), conditionally healthy individuals; the second group ( n = 20), patients with knee joint osteoarthritis of II–III degree; the third group consisted of 20 patients with knee joint osteoarthritis of II–III degree who recovered from COVID-19. A concentration of cholesterol in the human blood plasma was determined by the enzymatic method using a diagnostic reagent kit. The intensity of superoxide anion radical generation in the synovial fluid was measured by the accumulation of XTT-formazan. The level of expression of the OLR1 , ACAN , and LRP1 genes in the synovial membrane cells of knee joints was determined using quantitative real-time RT-PCR. An increase in the expression level of the OLR1 gene was found to a greater extent in the synovial membrane cells in patients with osteoarthritis who recovered from COVID-19 as compared with the group of patients with knee joint osteoarthritis against the background of a more intensive increase in both the cholesterol concentration in the blood plasma and the activation of free radical processes (an increase in the content of superoxide anion radical) in the synovial fluid of patients with osteoarthritis after SARS-CoV2 infection. This can be associated with an increase in system-wide inflammation as a result of the organism’s response to a virus. At the same time, a more significant decrease in the level of the ACAN gene expression in the synovial membrane cells in patients with osteoarthritis who recovered from COVID-19 was demonstrated as compared with the group of patients with knee joint osteoarthritis. This indicates a more powerful activation of destructive processes in the cells after infection and can also be mediated by a decrease in the expression level of the LRP1 gene, which, in turn, can cause a further progression of the disease. Understanding of clear mechanisms for the formation of a more severe course of osteoarthritis and possible development of complications in patients with post-COVID-19 syndrome on the example of the functioning of both the LOX1/ox-LDL system and LRP1-endocytic pathway requires further studies.