Conclusion
cf-mtDNA is probably important in the outcome of SARS-CoV-2 infection due to its role in inflammation and immune response. It can also be a promising candidate biomarker for the diagnosis of COVID-19 subgroups. Further investigation will help understanding the COVID-19 pathophysiology and effective diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.
Methods
Plasma and buffy coat samples were collected from 37 COVID-19 patients and 33 controls. Briefly, after total DNA extraction, plasma cf-mtDNA, and cf-nDNA copy numbers were measured by absolute qPCR using a standard curve method. Furthermore, after total RNA extraction from buffy coat and cDNA synthesis, TFAM mRNA levels were evaluated by qPCR.
Results
The results showed that cf-mtDNA levels in asymptomatic COVID-19 patients were statistically significantly higher than in symptomatic cases (p value = 0.01). However, cf-nDNA levels were higher in symptomatic patients than in asymptomatic cases (p value = 0.00). There was no significant difference between TFAM levels in the buffy coat of these two groups (p value > 0.05). Also, cf-mtDNA levels showed good diagnostic potential in COVID-19 subgroups.