AUTHOR=Valdés-Aguayo José J. , Garza-Veloz Idalia , Vargas-Rodríguez José R. , Martinez-Vazquez María C. , Avila-Carrasco Lorena , Bernal-Silva Sofia , González-Fuentes Carolina , Comas-García Andreu , Alvarado-Hernández Diana E. , Centeno-Ramirez Alba S. H. , Rodriguez-Sánchez Iram P. , Delgado-Enciso Ivan , Martinez-Fierro Margarita L. TITLE=Peripheral Blood Mitochondrial DNA Levels Were Modulated by SARS-CoV-2 Infection Severity and Its Lessening Was Associated With Mortality Among Hospitalized Patients With COVID-19 JOURNAL=Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology VOLUME=11 YEAR=2021 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/cellular-and-infection-microbiology/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2021.754708 DOI=10.3389/fcimb.2021.754708 ISSN=2235-2988 ABSTRACT=Introduction

During severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, the virus hijacks the mitochondria causing damage of its membrane and release of mt-DNA into the circulation which can trigger innate immunity and generate an inflammatory state. In this study, we explored the importance of peripheral blood mt-DNA as an early predictor of evolution in patients with COVID-19 and to evaluate the association between the concentration of mt-DNA and the severity of the disease and the patient’s outcome.

Methods

A total 102 patients (51 COVID-19 cases and 51 controls) were included in the study. mt-DNA obtained from peripheral blood was quantified by qRT-PCR using the NADH mitochondrial gene.

Results

There were differences in peripheral blood mt-DNA between patients with COVID-19 (4.25 ng/μl ± 0.30) and controls (3.3 ng/μl ± 0.16) (p = 0.007). Lower mt-DNA concentrations were observed in patients with severe COVID-19 when compared with mild (p= 0.005) and moderate (p= 0.011) cases of COVID-19. In comparison with patients with severe COVID-19 who survived (3.74 ± 0.26 ng/μl) decreased levels of mt-DNA in patients with severe COVID-19 who died (2.4 ± 0.65 ng/μl) were also observed (p = 0.037).

Conclusion

High levels of mt-DNA were associated with COVID-19 and its decrease could be used as a potential biomarker to establish a prognosis of severity and mortality of patients with COVID-19.