Th1, Th2 and Th17 inflammatory pathways synergistically correlate with cardiometabolic processes. A case study in COVID-19

Abstract

A predominant source of complication in SARS-CoV-2 patients arises from the cytokine storm, an elevated expression of inflammatory helper T-cell associated cytokines that can lead to tissue damage and organ failure. The high inflammatory burden of this viral infection often results in cardiovascular comorbidities. A better understanding of the interaction between the cytokine storm and cardiovascular proteins might inform medical decisions and therapeutic approaches. We hypothesized that all major helper T-cell inflammatory pathways (Th1, Th2 and Th17) synergistically contribute to cardiometabolic modifications in serum of COVID-19 patients. We proved our hypothesis by integrating Th1, Th2 and Th17 cytokines to predict expression of cardiometabolic proteins profiled by OLINK proteomics.