COVID−19, Anti-NMDA Receptor Encephalitis and MicroRNA

Abstract

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has had an enormous impact on the world, affecting people’s lifestyle, economy, and livelihood. Recently, with the development of vaccines, the number of infected cases has decreased. Many case reports have revealed that COVID-19 may induce other serious comorbidities such as anti-N-methyl-d-aspartate (anti-NMDA) receptor encephalitis. Anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis is an acute autoimmune disease that occurs more commonly in women than in men. To explore the association between COVID-19 and anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis, the microRNA (miRNA) biomarkers of COVID-19, anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis, and other related diseases from the literature are reviewed; then on the basis of these miRNA biomarkers, the relationship between COVID-19 and anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis is discussed. miRNAs are small non-coding RNAs that play important roles in cell differentiation, development, cell-cycle regulation, and apoptosis. miRNAs have been used as biological biomarkers for many diseases. The results in this study reveal that the relationship between anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis and COVID-19 infection or COVID-19 vaccination cannot be excluded; however, the risk that COVID-19 triggers the anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis is not high.

Anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor encephalitis after coronavirus disease 2019: A case report and literature review

“…[6,10] Among more than 50 micro-ribonucleic acid biomarkers of COVID-19, 7 are known to be related to anti-NMDAR Panariello et al 2020 [12] 23/M/Drug abuse 3 Monti et al 2020 [13] 50 Allahyari et al 2021 [15] 18/F/none encephalitis. [4] These common biomarkers are miR-107, miR-29b, let-7a, let-7f, miR-26b, miR-21, and miR-155; they do not contain the main biomarker for anti-NMDAR encephalitis (let-7b), yielding a ratio of <0.2. This may explain the low risk of anti-NMDAR encephalitis occurrence after COVID-19 infection.…”

“…COVID-19 might trigger anti-NMDAR encephalitis using these common biomarkers, but the risk of occurrence may be low. [ 4 ]…”

“…[1] About 80% of patients with anti-NMDAR encephalitis benefit from adaptive immunotherapy with or without removal of teratomas, and early tumor removal is associated with good prognosis. [1][2][3][4] Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), occurred in 2019, and various neurological diseases associated with it have been continuously reported. SARS-CoV-2 can invade the central nervous system through systemic circulation via angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 receptors and the cribriform plate.…”

“…[1] About 80% of patients with anti-NMDAR encephalitis benefit from adaptive immunotherapy with or without removal of teratomas, and early tumor removal is associated with good prognosis. [1–4]…”

Phylogenetic Tree Selection by Testing Substitution Number in Clade

“…The association between major depression and gastroesophageal reflux has been explored based on the phylogenetic analysis of miRNA biomarkers [3]. Additionally, the association between anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis and vaccination [4,5] and the association between anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis and the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have been explored using the phylogenetic analysis [6].…”