Biochemical implication of acetylcholine, histamine, IL-18, and interferon-alpha as diagnostic biomarkers in hepatitis C virus, coronavirus disease 2019, and dual hepatitis C virus-coronavirus disease 2019 patients

Theodor Bilharz Research Institute

Bibliographic Information

Authors: Sakr A.A.; Mohamed A.A.; Ahmed A.E.; Abdelhaleem A.A.; Samir H.H.; Elkady M.A.; Hasona N.A.

Journal: Journal of Medical Virology

Publisher: John Wiley and Sons Inc

Publication Date: 15 August 2024

Volume / Issue: Volume 96 / Issue 8

Article No.: e29857

ISSN: 1466615

DOI: 10.1002/jmv.29857

Scopus: View on Scopus

PubMed: 39145590

Document Type: Article

Access: All Open Access; Bronze Open Access

Authors and Affiliations

Sakr A.A., Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Postgraduate Studies for Advanced Sciences, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef, Egypt; Mohamed A.A., Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department, National Hepatology and Tropical Medicine Research Institute (NHTMRI), Cairo, Egypt; Ahmed A.E., Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Postgraduate Studies for Advanced Sciences, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef, Egypt; Abdelhaleem A.A., Tropical Department, National Hepatology and Tropical Medicine Research Institute (NHTMRI), Cairo, Egypt; Samir H.H., Nephrology Unit, Internal Medicine Department, School of Medicine, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt; Elkady M.A., Gastroenterology Department, Theodor Bilharz Research Institute, Giza, Egypt; Hasona N.A., Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef, Egypt

Abstract

Globally, hepatitis C virus (HCV) and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are the most common causes of death due to the lack of early predictive and diagnostic tools. Therefore, research for a new biomarker is crucial. Inflammatory biomarkers are critical central players in the pathogenesis of viral infections. IL-18, produced by macrophages in early viral infections, triggers inflammatory biomarkers and interferon production, crucial for viral host defense. Finding out IL-18 function can help understand COVID-19 pathophysiology and predict disease prognosis. Histamine and its receptors regulate allergic lung responses, with H1 receptor inhibition potentially reducing inflammation in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE-2) receptors on cholangiocytes suggest liver involvement in SARS-CoV-2 infection. The current study presents the potential impact of circulating acetylcholine, histamine, IL-18, and interferon-Alpha as diagnostic tools in HCV, COVID-19, and dual HCV-COVID-19 pathogenesis. The current study was a prospective cross-section conducted on 188 participants classified into the following four groups: Group 1 COVID-19 (n = 47), Group 2 HCV (n = 47), and Group 3 HCV-COVID-19 patients (n = 47), besides the healthy control Group 4 (n = 47). The levels of acetylcholine, histamine, IL-18, and interferon-alpha were assayed using the ELISA method. Liver and kidney functions within all groups showed a marked alteration compared to the healthy control group. Our statistical analysis found that individuals with dual infection with HCV-COVID-19 had high ferritin levels compared to other biomarkers while those with COVID-19 infection had high levels of D-Dimer. The histamine, acetylcholine, and IL-18 biomarkers in both COVID-19 and dual HCV-COVID-19 groups have shown discriminatory power, making them potential diagnostic tests for infection. These three biomarkers showed satisfactory performance in identifying HCV infection. The IFN-Alpha test performed well in the HCV-COVID-19 group and was fair in the COVID-19 group, but it had little discriminative value in the HCV group. Moreover, our findings highlighted the pivotal role of acetylcholine, histamine, IL-18, and interferon-Alpha in HCV, COVID-19, and dual HCV-COVID-19 infection. Circulating levels of acetylcholine, histamine, IL-18, and interferon-Alpha can be potential early indicators for HCV, COVID-19, and dual HCV-COVID-19 infection. We acknowledge that further large multicenter experimental studies are needed to further investigate the role biomarkers play in influencing the likelihood of infection to confirm and extend our observations and to better understand and ultimately prevent or treat these diseases. © 2024 Wiley Periodicals LLC.

Keywords

acetylcholine; coronavirus disease 2019; hepatitis C virus; histamine; interferon-alpha; interleukins; Adult; Aged; Biomarkers; Coinfection; COVID-19; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Hepacivirus; Hepatitis C; Humans; Interleukin-18; Male; Middle Aged; Prospective Studies; SARS-CoV-2; acetylsalicylic acid; alanine aminotransferase; alpha fetoprotein; alpha interferon; angiotensin converting enzyme 2; aspartate aminotransferase; azithromycin; biological marker; boceprevir; creatinine; cyproheptadine; desloratadine; ferritin; high mobility group B1 protein; hydroxyzine; interferon; interleukin 18; ketotifen; lactate dehydrogenase; peginterferon; procalcitonin; ribavirin; simeprevir; sofosbuvir; telaprevir; tumor necrosis factor; virus RNA; IL18 protein, human; acute lung injury; adult respiratory distress syndrome; antiviral activity; area under the curve; Article; biochemical analysis; body mass; cardiovascular disease; Child Pugh score; chronic hepatitis C; controlled study; cross-sectional study; cytokine release; diagnostic test accuracy study; disease activity; enzyme linked immunosorbent assay; ferroptosis; gene expression; hematocrit; hepatectomy; hepatic encephalopathy; Hepatitis B virus; histamine blood level; histamine release; hospitalization; host resistance; human; hypercoagulability; hyperferritinemia; hypertension; hypoxia; immune dysregulation; immune response; inflammation; innate immunity; kidney function; laboratory test; liver biopsy; liver cell carcinoma; liver cirrhosis; liver injury; lymphadenopathy; lymphocytopenia; macrophage; major clinical study; mean corpuscular hemoglobin; mean corpuscular volume; mean platelet volume; Middle East respiratory syndrome; nanotechnology; pathophysiology; physical examination; polymerase chain reaction; protein synthesis; real time polymerase chain reaction; renin angiotensin aldosterone system; risk factor; SARS coronavirus; schistosomiasis; sensitivity and specificity; sepsis; signal transduction; sustained virologic response; thyroid disease; vagus nerve stimulation; virus load; virus replication; blood; diagnosis; prospective study; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; virology

Citation Information

Scopus Citations: 3

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