Volume 38, Issue 3, January 2023, Pages 524–528
Asmaa Drissi Bourhanbour1, Wissal Aissaoui2, Jalila Elbakkouri3, Chafik Elkettani4, Lahoucine Barrou5, Mohamed Benghanem Gharbi6, and Moulay Hicham Afif7
1 Laboratoire d’immunologie-sérologie, CHU Ibn Rochd Casablanca, Morocco
2 Anesthesiology and intensive care department, Ibn Rochd University Hospital, Casablanca, , Hassan II University, Casablanca, Moroc, Morocco
3 Clinical Immunology, Autoimmunity and Inflammation Laboratory (LICIA), Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Hassan II University, Casablanca, Morocco
4 Anesthesiology and intensive care department, Ibn Rochd University Hospital, Casablanca, , Hassan II University, Casablanca, Moroc, Morocco
5 Anesthesiology and intensive care department, Ibn Rochd University Hospital, Casablanca, , Hassan II University, Casablanca, Moroc, Morocco
6 Nephrology department, Ibn Rochd University Hospital, Casablanca, , Hassan II University, Casablanca, Moroc, Morocco
7 Pneumology department, Ibn Rochd University Hospital, Casablanca, , Hassan II University, Casablanca, Moroc, Morocco
Original language: English
Copyright © 2023 ISSR Journals. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
We report two cases of patients with COVID-19. Clinical and biological features of the two patients confirm severe form of COVID-19 associated with cytokine storm. High levels of IL-6 and IL-17 were found. Unfortunately the patients died because of the multi-organ failure secondary to the cytokine storm. Cytokine storm is a systemic inflammatory syndrome which leads to aberrant release of cytokines. IL-6 is the most frequently reported cytokine to be increased in COVID-19 patients. Naïve T CD4+ cells in the presence of TGF β and IL-6 will differentiate into T helper 17 cells responsible for secreting IL-17A and IL-17F, which target macrophages, dendritic cells, endothelial cells, and fibroblasts to increase the production of cytokines. IL-6 and IL-17 have been shown to play a role in increasing risk of airway disease. They synergistically promote viral persistence by protecting virus-infected cells from apoptosis. Immune hyperactivation in cytokine storm amplified levels of cytokines that will have systemic effects and cause collateral damage to vital organ systems. Immunotherapy can play a crucial role in COVID-19 managing. Tocilizumab an anti-IL6 receptor antibody was used with clinical improvement. The possibility of inhibiting IL17 as therapy for COVID-19 should be also considered.
Author Keywords: COVID-19, Cytokine storm, IL-6, IL-17, Case report.
Asmaa Drissi Bourhanbour1, Wissal Aissaoui2, Jalila Elbakkouri3, Chafik Elkettani4, Lahoucine Barrou5, Mohamed Benghanem Gharbi6, and Moulay Hicham Afif7
1 Laboratoire d’immunologie-sérologie, CHU Ibn Rochd Casablanca, Morocco
2 Anesthesiology and intensive care department, Ibn Rochd University Hospital, Casablanca, , Hassan II University, Casablanca, Moroc, Morocco
3 Clinical Immunology, Autoimmunity and Inflammation Laboratory (LICIA), Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Hassan II University, Casablanca, Morocco
4 Anesthesiology and intensive care department, Ibn Rochd University Hospital, Casablanca, , Hassan II University, Casablanca, Moroc, Morocco
5 Anesthesiology and intensive care department, Ibn Rochd University Hospital, Casablanca, , Hassan II University, Casablanca, Moroc, Morocco
6 Nephrology department, Ibn Rochd University Hospital, Casablanca, , Hassan II University, Casablanca, Moroc, Morocco
7 Pneumology department, Ibn Rochd University Hospital, Casablanca, , Hassan II University, Casablanca, Moroc, Morocco
Original language: English
Copyright © 2023 ISSR Journals. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Abstract
We report two cases of patients with COVID-19. Clinical and biological features of the two patients confirm severe form of COVID-19 associated with cytokine storm. High levels of IL-6 and IL-17 were found. Unfortunately the patients died because of the multi-organ failure secondary to the cytokine storm. Cytokine storm is a systemic inflammatory syndrome which leads to aberrant release of cytokines. IL-6 is the most frequently reported cytokine to be increased in COVID-19 patients. Naïve T CD4+ cells in the presence of TGF β and IL-6 will differentiate into T helper 17 cells responsible for secreting IL-17A and IL-17F, which target macrophages, dendritic cells, endothelial cells, and fibroblasts to increase the production of cytokines. IL-6 and IL-17 have been shown to play a role in increasing risk of airway disease. They synergistically promote viral persistence by protecting virus-infected cells from apoptosis. Immune hyperactivation in cytokine storm amplified levels of cytokines that will have systemic effects and cause collateral damage to vital organ systems. Immunotherapy can play a crucial role in COVID-19 managing. Tocilizumab an anti-IL6 receptor antibody was used with clinical improvement. The possibility of inhibiting IL17 as therapy for COVID-19 should be also considered.
Author Keywords: COVID-19, Cytokine storm, IL-6, IL-17, Case report.
How to Cite this Article
Asmaa Drissi Bourhanbour, Wissal Aissaoui, Jalila Elbakkouri, Chafik Elkettani, Lahoucine Barrou, Mohamed Benghanem Gharbi, and Moulay Hicham Afif, “Interleukin-17 and the COVID-19 cytokine storm: Cases reports,” International Journal of Innovation and Applied Studies, vol. 38, no. 3, pp. 524–528, January 2023.
