Comparative Study of Cytokine Profiles in SARS-CoV-2 Delta and Omicron Variants

• DOI: 10.1007/s44411-024-00010-7
• Publication Date: 2025-01-30T12:47:17Z
• Authors: Michaela Krivosova; Juliana Hanusrich...; Vincent Lucansky; Marek Samec; Anna Bobcakova; Eva Baranovicova; Matus Dohal; Juraj Mokry; Maria Skerenova; Peter Liptak; Robert Rosolanka; Peter Banovcin; Dana Dvorska; Andrea Kapinova; Sona Franova; Zuzana Dankova; Elena Novakova; Erika Halasova

Abstract

Background The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has highly impacted everyday lives and healthcare systems since its spread across the globe. As a result of numerous mutations in the viral genome, several genetic variants and sub-variants have evolved, and they differ in various characteristics, such as infectivity, transmissibility, and immune response in human body. The aim of this study was to compare cytokine levels in plasma samples from patients with acute COVID-19, infected with either the Delta or Omicron variants.

Methods This retrospective study included 80 hospitalized patients with PCR-confirmed SARS-CoV-2. Blood samples from the patients as well as control subjects were collected, and the multiplex cytokine assay was performed determining the levels of 48 cytokines in plasma.

Results This study included 50 hospitalized patients with Delta, 30 patients with Omicron variant, and 18 control subjects. Severe and critical disease course led to 27 significantly modified levels of cytokines in both COVID-19 variants compared to control subjects. However, 12 cytokine levels (GRO-α, IFN-α2, IL-1α, IL-4, IL-9, IL-16, MIF, MIP-1β, SDF-1α, TNF-α, TNF-β, TRAIL) were significantly elevated in Delta versus Omicron variant with the discrimination equal to AUC = 0.876. Moreover, vaccination significantly decreased levels of GM-CSF, IL-7, and IL-8 in patients with Omicron variant.

Conclusions This study suggests that the genetic variants of SARS-CoV-2 affect the immune response differently.