Impact of SARS-CoV-2 Infection (COVID-19) on Cytochromes P450 Activity Assessed by the Geneva Cocktail

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, is a severe acute respiratory syndrome with an underlying inflammatory state. We have previously demonstrated that acute inflammation modulates cytochromes P450 (CYPs) activity in an isoform-specific manner. We therefore hypothesized that COVID-19 might also impact CYP activity, and thus aimed to evaluate the impact of acute inflammation in the context of SARS-CoV-2 infection on the six main human CYPs activity. This prospective observational study was conducted in 28 patients hospitalized at the Geneva University Hospitals (Switzerland) with a diagnosis of moderate to severe COVID-19. They received the Geneva phenotyping cocktail orally during the first 72 hours of hospitalization and after 3 months. Capillary blood samples were collected 2 hours after cocktail administration to assess the metabolic ratios (MRs) of CYP1A2, 2B6, 2C9, 2C19, 2D6, and 3A. C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin 6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) levels were also measured in blood. CYP1A2, CYP2C19, and CYP3A MRs decreased by 52.6% (P = 0.0001), 74.7% (P = 0.0006), and 22.8% (P = 0.045), respectively, in patients with COVID-19. CYP2B6 and CYP2C9 MRs increased by 101.1% (P = 0.009) and 55.8% (P = 0.0006), respectively. CYP2D6 MR variation did not reach statistical significance (P = 0.072). As expected, COVID-19 was a good acute inflammation model as mean serum levels of CRP, IL-6, and TNF-alpha were significantly (P < 0.001) higher during SARS-CoV-2 infection. CYP activity are modulated in an isoform-specific manner by SARS-CoV-2 infection. The pharmacokinetics of CYP substrates, whether used to treat the disease or as the usual treatment of patients, could be therefore clinically impacted.

Automated summary

The study found that SARS-CoV-2 infection affects the activity of specific CYP isoforms in COVID-19 patients, with changes observed in CYP1A2, CYP2B6, CYP2C9, CYP2C19, and CYP3A. This has implications for the metabolism of drugs and potential impacts on drug treatment efficacy in patients with COVID-19.