Chemerin as a Potential Marker of Resolution of Inflammation in COVID-19 Infection

Chemerin is one of the specialized pro-resolving mediators that participate in the early phase of inflammation and contribute to the initiation of the pro-resolving response. There is a paucity of data regarding the time course of chemerin during acute infections. We aimed to evaluate the sequence of inflammatory responses in the acute COVID-19 phase throughout onset and resolution of inflammation. We evaluated changes in selected biomarkers in COVID-19 survivors on the 7-day and 28-day follow up. Chemerin was lower in patients with baseline moderate/severe disease at day 7 compared with asymptomatic patients and individuals with mild illness (7265 [5526-9448] vs. 8730 [6888-11,058] pg/mL; p = 0.03). Only in patients with moderate/severe disease, but not in those with mild symptoms, were chemerin concentrations decreased one week after infection onset compared with baseline (7265 [5526-9448] vs. 8866 [6383-10,690] pg/mL; p < 0.05) with a subsequent increase on the 28-day follow up (9313 [7353-11,033] pg/mL; p < 0.05). Resolution of inflammation in the group of moderate/severe SARS-CoV2 infection was associated with increasing serum concentrations of chemerin, contrary to pro-inflammatory cytokines and adipokines (pentraxin 3, TNF alpha, resistin, leptin). A similar pattern of angiopoietin-2 dynamics may suggest signs of enhanced vascularization as a consequence of acute SARS-CoV2 infection.

Automated summary

This study evaluated the sequence of inflammatory responses in COVID-19 survivors and found that chemerin concentrations decreased one week after infection onset but increased on the 28-day follow up in patients with moderate/severe disease. In contrast, pro-inflammatory cytokines and adipokines did not show similar changes. This suggests enhanced vascularization as a consequence of acute SARS-CoV2 infection.