Association of follicular helper T and follicular regulatory T cells with severity and hyperglycemia in hospitalized COVID-19 patients

South Egypt Cancer Institute

Assiut University

Association of follicular helper T and follicular regulatory T cells with severity and hyperglycemia in hospitalized COVID-19 patients

Research Authors
Asmaa M Zahran, Mona H Abdel-Rahim, Khalid A Nasif, Safinaz Hussein, Rania Hafez, Ahmad Bahieldeen Ahmad, Khaled Saad, Amira Elhoufey, Hosni AM Hussein, Ali A Thabet, Omnia El-Badawy
Research Member
Asmaa Mohamed Zahran Omar
Research Department
Department of Clinical Pathology
Research Date
Research Year
2022
Research Journal
Virulence
Research Publisher
Taylor & Francis
Research_Pages
569-577
Research Website
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/21505594.2022.2047506
Research Abstract

We aimed to determine the levels of follicular helper T (Tfh) and follicular regulatory T (Tfr) cells in COVID-19 patients and determine whether their levels correlated with disease severity and presence of hyperglycemia. This study was carried out in 34 hospitalized COVID-19 patients and 20 healthy controls. Levels of total circulating Tfh, inducible T-cell costimulator (ICOS)+ activated Tfh, and Tfr cells were assessed in all participants by flow cytometry. Total CD4+CXCR5+ Tfh cells and ICOS+Foxp3-activated Tfh cells increased and ICOS+Foxp3+ Tfr cells decreased in COVID-19 patients, especially in diabetic patients and those with severe disease. Activated ICOS+ Tfh cells were directly correlated with lactate dehydrogenase, D-dimer, ferritin, and respiratory rate and inversely correlated with the partial pressure of carbon dioxide. COVID-19 is associated with marked activation of Tfh cells and a profound drop in Tfr …