Prognostic value of interleukin-6, C-reactive protein, and procalcitonin in patients with COVID-19.

The global supply of COVID-19 vaccines remains limited. An understanding of the immune response that is predictive of protection could facilitate rapid licensure of new vaccines. Data from a randomized efficacy trial of the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 (AZD1222) vaccine in the United Kingdom was analyzed to determine the antibody levels associated with protection against SARS-CoV-2. Binding and neutralizing antibodies at 28 days after the second dose were measured in infected and noninfected vaccine recipients. Higher levels of all immune markers were correlated with a reduced risk of symptomatic infection. A vaccine efficacy of 80% against symptomatic infection with majority Alpha (B.1.1.7) variant of SARS-CoV-2 was achieved with 264 (95% CI: 108, 806) binding antibody units (BAU)/ml: and 506 (95% CI: 135, not computed (beyond data range) (NC)) BAU/ml for anti-spike and anti-RBD antibodies, and 26 (95% CI: NC, NC) international unit (IU)/ml and 247 (95% CI: 101, NC) normalized neutralization titers (NF50) for pseudovirus and live-virus neutralization, respectively. Immune markers were not correlated with asymptomatic infections at the 5% significance level. These data can be used to bridge to new populations using validated assays, and allow extrapolation of efficacy estimates to new COVID-19 vaccines.

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Correlates of protection against symptomatic and asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection.

SARS-CoV-2 detection, viral load and infectivity over the course of an infection.

AGA Institute Rapid Review of the Gastrointestinal and Liver Manifestations of COVID-19, Meta-Analysis of International Data, and Recommendations for the Consultative Management of Patients with COVID-19.

Interleukin-6 as a potential biomarker of COVID-19 progression.

Background SARS-CoV-2-caused coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is posing a large casualty. The features of COVID-19 patients with and without pneumonia, SARS-CoV-2 transmissibility in asymptomatic carriers, and factors predicting disease progression remain unknown. Methods We collected information on clinical characteristics, exposure history, and laboratory examinations of all laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 patients admitted to PLA General Hospital. Cox regression analysis was applied to identify prognostic factors. The last follow-up was February 18, 2020. Results We characterized 55 consecutive COVID-19 patients. The mean incubation was 8.42 (95% confidence interval [CI], 6.55-10.29) days. The mean SARS-CoV-2-positive duration from first positive test to conversion was 9.71 (95%CI, 8.21-11.22) days. COVID-19 course was approximately 2 weeks. Asymptomatic carriers might transmit SARS-CoV-2. Compared to patients without pneumonia, those with pneumonia were 15 years older and had a higher rate of hypertension, higher frequencies of having a fever and cough, and higher levels of interleukin-6 (14.61 vs. 8.06pg/mL, P=0.040), B lymphocyte proportion (13.0% vs.10.0%, P=0.024), low account ( Conclusion The epidemiological features are important for COVID-19 prophylaxis. Circulating interleukin-6 and lactate are independent prognostic factors. CD8+ T cell exhaustion might be critical in the development of COVID-19.

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Epidemiological and clinical features of COVID-19 patients with and without pneumonia in Beijing, China

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is pandemic. It is critical to identify COVID-19 patients who are most likely to develop a severe disease. This study was designed to determine the clinical and epidemiological features of COVID-19 patients associated with the development of pneumonia and factors associated with disease progression. Seventy consecutive patients with etiologically confirmed COVID-19 admitted to PLA General Hospital in Beijing, China from December 27, 2019 to March 12, 2020 were enrolled in this study and followed-up to March 16, 2020. Differences in clinical and laboratory findings between COVID-19 patients with pneumonia and those without were determined by the χ2 test or the Fisher exact test (categorical variables) and independent group t test or Mann–Whitney U test (continuous variables). The Cox proportional hazard model and Generalized Estimating Equations were applied to evaluate factors that predicted the progression of COVID-19. The mean incubation was 8.67 (95% confidence interval, 6.78–10.56) days. Mean duration from the first test severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2-positive to conversion was 11.38 (9.86–12.90) days. Compared to pneumonia-free patients, pneumonia patients were 16.5 years older and had higher frequencies of having hypertension, fever, and cough and higher circulating levels of neutrophil proportion, interleukin-6, low count (< 190/µl) of CD8+ T cells, and neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio. Thirteen patients deteriorated during hospitalization. Cox regression analysis indicated that older age and higher serum levels of interleukin-6, C-reactive protein, procalcitonin, and lactate at admission significantly predicted the progression of COVID-19. During hospitalization, circulating counts of T lymphocytes, CD4+ T cells, and CD8+ T cells were lower, whereas neutrophil proportion, neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio, and the circulating levels of interleukin-6, C-reactive protein, and procalcitonin were higher, in pneumonia patients than in pneumonia-free patients. CD8+ lymphocyte count in pneumonia patients did not recover when discharged. Older age and higher levels of C-reactive protein, procalcitionin, interleukin-6, and lactate might predict COVID-19 progression. T lymphocyte, especially CD8+ cell-mediated immunity is critical in recovery of COVID-19. This study may help in predicting disease progression and designing immunotherapy for COVID-19.

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Increased circulating level of interleukin-6 and CD8 + T cell exhaustion are associated with progression of COVID-19.

The invention discloses a liver cancer marker lncRNA ENST00000620463.1 and application thereof. The invention provides a tumor marker which is LncRNA; the tumor marker is named as ENST00000620463.1; the ENST00000620463.1 is RNA expressed as a sequence 1 in a sequence table; DNA corresponding to ENST00000620463.1 is DNA expressed as a sequence 2 in the sequence table. The invention firstly discovers that the ENST00000620463.1 in the liver cancer is greatly increased; an experiment proves that shRNA interference silencing ENST00000620463.1 is capable of effectively inhibiting proliferation, migration and invasion of the liver cancer cells; a novel method is provided for the individualized treatment of the liver cancer.

Zhaohai Wang

Papers

Epidemiological and clinical features of COVID-19 patients with and without pneumonia in Beijing, China

Increased circulating level of interleukin-6 and CD8 + T cell exhaustion are associated with progression of COVID-19.

Liver cancer marker lncRNA ENST00000620463.1 and application thereof