Simvastatin Therapy Increased miR-150-5p Expression in the Patients with Type 2 Diabetes and COVID-19

Background/Aims: Corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has become a deadly infectious disease, especially for those with co-morbidities such as diabetes. People with diabetes developing a viral infection, seem to have harder treatments due to fluctuations in blood glucose levels therefore, effective therapeutic approaches need to be considered for them. Statins are well-known lipid-lowering drugs; they also have anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects and can impact on expression of microRNAs (miRNAs). Methods: In this study we investigate the effects of simvastatin on the expression of miR-150-5p as a famous regulator of inflammation and its association with multiple cancers in 30 patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and COVID-19 compared to the COVID-19 hospitalized patients before and after treatment with simvastatin with real-time-PCR after 2month, and evaluate its targets gens and functions with the help of bioinformatics and GO enrichment analysis respectively. Results: Our results showed that simvastatin can increase miR-150-5p and therefore down regulate expression of its target genes involving in immune stimulation and decrease lipid profile including LDL-C, total cholesterol, and ApoB, especially in the group with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and COVID-19 compared to the patients with only COVID-19. Conclusion: Simvastatin as an anti-inflammatory agent can modulate miRNAs expression; it can be suggested as an adjunct therapy especially for T2DM patients with COVID-19. Further studies may help us for developing better treatments about therapeutic manipulation of miRNAs in vivo. (c) 2022 The Author(s). Published by Cell Physiol Biochem Press GmbH&Co. KG

Automated summary

This study investigated the effects of simvastatin on patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and COVID-19. The results showed that simvastatin can increase the expression of miR-150-5p, leading to downregulation of immune-stimulating genes and a decrease in lipid levels. Therefore, simvastatin can be suggested as an adjunct therapy, especially for T2DM patients with COVID-19.