Original article

The effect of statin administration on IL-6 and IL-1b expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of a hypertensive patient with SARS-CoV-2 spike protein stimulation

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Abstract

Aim: The infection of the SARS-CoV-2 virus potentially causes a cytokine storm with elevated IL-6 and IL-1? levels. Statin therapy was common among COVID-19 patients due to their cardiovascular comorbidities. However, the effect of statins on COVID-19 infection is unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of statin administration on IL-6 and IL-1? level in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) after SARS-CoV-2 spike protein stimulation.

Methods: The PBMCs were isolated from a hypertensive patient and stimulated by the SARS-CoV-2 subunit S1 spike protein. The PBMCs were then divided into four treatment groups and treated with simvastatin at various doses (10 µM, 25 µM, 50 µM, and control). IL-6 and IL-1? were measured from the supernatant using the ELISA method.

Results: The stimulation of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein in PBMC cell culture statistically increased IL-6 and IL1? expression of 5.2 and 35.07 fold, respectively (p<0.05). The expressions of IL-6 and IL-1? were not statistically significant among three simvastatin doses and control.

Conclusion: Statin administration did not have significant effect on IL-6 and IL-1? levels in PBMCs after SARS-CoV-2 spike protein stimulation in this study, a further study is needed.

Keywords: cytokine release syndrome, interleukin-1, interleukin-6, leukocytes, mononuclear, simvastatin

How to Cite:

Andrianto, A., Pikir, B. S., Amalia, R., Yusriza, T., Alzahra, F., A’yun, M. Q. & Jonatan, M., (2022) “The effect of statin administration on IL-6 and IL-1b expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of a hypertensive patient with SARS-CoV-2 spike protein stimulation”, Medicinski glasnik 19(2), 113-119. doi: https://doi.org/10.17392/1481-22