Analysis of the Study of the Expression of Apoptosis Markers (CD95) and Intercellular Adhesion Markers (CD54) in Healthy Individuals and Patients Who Underwent COVID-19 When Using the Drug Mercureid

Abstract

SARS-CoV-2, the pathogen, which is responsible for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), has caused unprecedented morbidity and mortality worldwide. Scientific and clinical evidence testifies about long-term COVID-19 effects that can affect many organ systems. Cellular damage, overproduction of proinflammatory cytokines and procoagulant abnormalities caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection may lead to these consequences. After suffering from COVID-19, a negative PCR test is only the beginning of a difficult path to full recovery. 61 % of patients will continue to have the signs of post-covid syndrome with the risk of developing serious COVID-19 health complications for a long time. Post-COVID syndrome is an underestimated large-scale problem that can lead to the collapse of the healthcare system in the nearest future. The treatment and prevention of post-covid syndrome require integrated rather than organ or disease specific approaches and there is an urgent need to conduct a special research to establish the risk factors.For this purpose, we studied the expression of markers of apoptosis (CD95) and intercellular adhesion (CD54) in healthy individuals and patients who underwent COVID-19, as well as the efficacy of the drug Mercureid for the treatment of post-covid syndrome. The expression level of the apoptosis marker CD95 in patients who underwent COVID-19 is 1.7-2.5 times higher than the norm and the intercellular adhesion marker CD54 is 2.9-4.4 times higher. This fact indicates a persistent high level of dysfunctional immune response in the short term after recovery. The severity of the expression of the intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM-1, CD54) shows the involvement of the endothelium of the vascular wall in the inflammatory process as one of the mechanisms of the pathogenesis of post-covid syndrome. The use of Mercureid made it possible to reduce the overexpression of CD95 in 73.4 % of patients that led to the restoration of the number of CD4+/CD8+ T-cells, which are crucial in the restoration of functionally active antiviral and antitumor immunity of patients. Also, the use of Mercureid led to a normalization of ICAM-1 (CD54) levels in 75.8 % of patients. The pharmacological properties of the new targeted immunotherapy drug Mercureid provide new therapeutic opportunities for the physician to influence a number of therapeutic targets, such as CD95, ICAM-1 (CD54), to reduce the risk of post-COVID complications.