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The relationship between Nuclear Factor-Kappa B and Inhibitor-Kappa B parameters with clinical course in COVID-19 patients

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Abstract

Background

We aimed to investigate the serum Nuclear Factor Kappa B (NF-κB) p105, NF-κB p65 and Inhibitor Kappa B Alpha (IκBα) levels in patients with mild/moderate Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) and their association with the course of the disease.

Materials and methods

Blood was drawn from 35 COVID-19 patients who applied to the Department of Emergency Medicine of Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa at the time of diagnosis and from 35 healthy individuals. The patients were evaluated to have mild/moderate degree of disease according to National Early Warning Score 2 (NEWS2) scoring and computed tomography (CT) findings. The markers were studied in the obtained serum samples, using enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA). Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis was performed. Statistical significance was evaluated to be p < 0.05.

Results

NF-κB p105 levels were significantly higher in the COVID-19 group compared to the control group. C-reactive protein (CRP), D-dimer, ferritin levels of the patients were significantly higher (p < 0.001) compared to the control group, while the lymphocyte count was found lower (p = 0.001). IκBα and NF-κB p65 levels are similar in both groups. Threshold value for NF-κB p105 was above 0.78 ng/mL, sensitivity was 71.4% and specificity was 97.1% (p < 0.05). NF-κB p105 levels at the time of diagnosis of the patients who required supplemental oxygen (O2), were significantly higher (p < 0.01).

Conclusions

The rise in serum NF-κB p105 levels during the early stages of infection holds diagnostic value. Besides its relation with severity might have a prognostic feature to foresee the requirement for supplemental O2 that occurs during hospitalization.

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Data availability

No datasets were generated or analysed during the current study.

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Funding

This study was funded by Istanbul University Cerrahpasa Faculty of Medicine Scientific Research Projects Section. Project id is 35680.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cerrahpasa Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biochemistry, Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa, Istanbul, Turkey

    Melek Karasu, Dildar Konukoglu & Mine Kucur

  2. Cerrahpasa Faculty of Medicine, Department of Emergency Medicine, Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa, Istanbul, Turkey

    Muhdi Cevik & Serap Biberoglu

  3. Cerrahpasa Faculty of Medicine Hospital, Fikret Biyal Biochemistry Laboratory, Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa, Istanbul, Turkey

    Emine Selva Kaplanoglu, Nilgun Cetinkaya, Dildar Konukoglu & Mine Kucur

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  1. Melek Karasu
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Contributions

M.K. And M.K. did the source research and wrote the main manuscript. S.B. and M.C. took part in organizing participants. S.B. also reviewed the article. N.C. and S.K. helped with the method. D.K. took part in.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Melek Karasu.

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Compliance with ethical standards

This study was performed in line with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. This study was carried out with the approval of Istanbul University Cerrahpasa Faculty of Medicine Clinical Research Ethics Committee (08.02.2021; letter E-83045809-604.01.02-25739).

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Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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The authors declare no competing interests.

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Karasu, M., Cevik, M., Biberoglu, S. et al. The relationship between Nuclear Factor-Kappa B and Inhibitor-Kappa B parameters with clinical course in COVID-19 patients. Mol Biol Rep 51, 813 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11033-024-09729-6

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