Evaluation and gene expression of CD4 in COVID_19 patients

Abstract

Background: Respiratory failure, heart failure, and sepsis/multiorgan failure are some of the factors that contribute to COVID-19 death. In particular, CD4+ T cells perform a crucial antiviral role by balancing the fight against infections with the risk of developing autoimmunity or extreme inflammation. CD4+ T cells have a variety of helper and effector capabilities. The ability of CD4+ T cells to differentiate into a variety of helper and effector cell types allows them to direct B cells, assist CD8+ T cells, attract innate cells, directly engage in virus defense, and aid in tissue repair. Virus-specific CD4+ T cells frequently develop into T follicular helper cells and Th1 cells (Tfh). Objective: Study relationship between CD4 gene expression and disease severity in SARS-CoV-2 patients . Materials and methods: At the Al Hussain Teaching Hospital in Samawah, Southern Iraq, 130 blood samples were taken from patients. the COVID-19 infections of the hospitalized patients. In addition to the interim WHO recommendations, all COVID-19 patients included in this study had their diagnoses made in accordance with the Iraqi National Guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19. qRT-PCR experiments were carried out using Trans Script!® Green one-Step qRT-PCR Super Mix, which targeted gene expression CD4by forward and reverse primers in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions. Total RNA was isolated from whole blood using EasyPure® Blood RNA Kit Cat.No.ER401. Results: Our results showed that expression levels of CD4 was (0.09) comparing to genes Fold of control samples, the mean age of gene  expression for CD4 to the age group (20-29 years) are 29.086 ,followed by the age group (30-49 years) 30.24, (50-60 years) are 33.45 and the age group > 70 the mean are 34.31,and proportion of gene expression for CD4 was higher in males than the females (31.55 vs. 32.21). Conclusion: Gene expression of CD4 is down-regulated in each of the severe ,moderate and recovery phases with a significant difference from the control group and the amount of gene expression obtained through this study depends on the proteins(gene fold), which in turn depends on mRNA which the more the amount of protein increases and the latter decreases in COVID patients because they have chronic diseases.