A proteomic perspective and involvement of cytokines in SARS-CoV-2 infection

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 18; no. 1; p. e0279998
• Main Authors: Banu, Sarena, Nagaraj, Ramakrishnan, Idris, Mohammed M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 06.01.2023; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Adaptive immunity; Analysis; Annexins; Antibodies; B cells; Biology and life sciences; Cell signaling; Chromatography; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; Cytokine storm; Cytokines; Development and progression; DNA binding proteins; Epidemics; Gene expression; Genes; Health aspects; Histones; Humans; Immune system; India; Infection; Infections; Inflammation; Inflammatory response; Mass spectrometry; Medicine and health sciences; Metabolism; Pandemics; Peptides; Proteins; Proteomics; SARS-CoV-2; Scientific imaging; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; Viral diseases; Viral infections; Viruses; India
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0279998

Infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus results in manifestation of several clinical observations from asymptomatic to multi-organ failure. Biochemically, the serious effects are due to what is described as cytokine storm. The initial infection region for COVID-19 is the nasopharyngeal/oropharyngeal region which is the site where samples are taken to examine the presence of virus. We have now carried out detailed proteomic analysis of the nasopharyngeal/oropharyngeal swab samples collected from normal individuals and those tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, in India, during the early days of the pandemic in 2020, by RTPCR, involving high throughput quantitative proteomics analysis. Several proteins like annexins, cytokines and histones were found differentially regulated in the host human cells following SARS-CoV-2 infection. Genes for these proteins were also observed to be differentially regulated when their expression was analyzed. Majority of the cytokine proteins were found to be up regulated in the infected individuals. Cell to Cell signaling interaction, Immune cell trafficking and inflammatory response pathways were found associated with the differentially regulated proteins based on network pathway analysis.