ArticleInfection2024
SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein, rather than spike protein, triggers a cytokine storm originating from lung epithelial cells in patients with COVID-19.
Article in Infection, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 11 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
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Who cites it
11 citing papers in PubMed, 17 citations in OpenAlex.
- SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein forms complexes with soluble complement regulatory proteins that can bind to the virion.Scientific reports · 2026Article
- Alpha Linolenic and Stearic Acids Modulate Genes Related to Viral Entry and Inflammatory Response in THP-1 Derived Macrophages Exposed to SARS-CoV-2.Food science & nutrition · 2025Article
- Review
- iPSC-derived human cortical organoids display profound alterations of cellular homeostasis following SARS-CoV-2 infection and Spike protein exposure.FASEB journal : official publication of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology · 2025Article
- Intrinsic factors behind long COVID: exploring the role of nucleocapsid protein in thrombosis.PeerJ · 2025Review
- Aggravating mechanisms from COVID-19.Virology journal · 2024Review
- Immunogenicity of an Inactivated COVID-19 Vaccine in People Living with HIV in Guangxi, China: A Prospective Cohort Study.Viruses · 2024Article
- Long Neuro-COVID-19: Current Mechanistic Views and Therapeutic Perspectives.Biomolecules · 2024Review
- Immunological mechanisms of the nucleocapsid protein in COVID-19.Scientific reports · 2024Article
- Fullerenol CInternational journal of nanomedicine · 2024Article
- MCP-3 as a prognostic biomarker for severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome: a longitudinal cytokine profile study.Frontiers in immunology · 2024Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
10 authors at 5 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
purposeThe aim of this study was to elucidate the factors associated with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that may initiate cytokine cascades and correlate the clinical characteristics of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) with their serum cytokine profiles.
methodsRecombinant baculoviruses displaying SARS-CoV-2 spike or nucleocapsid protein were constructed and transfected into A549 cells and THP-1-derived macrophages, to determine which protein initiate cytokine release. SARS-CoV-2-specific antibody titers and cytokine profiles of patients with COVID-19 were determined, and the results were associated with their clinical characteristics, such as development of pneumonia or length of hospital stay.
resultsThe SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein, rather than the spike protein, triggers lung epithelial A549 cells to express IP-10, RANTES, IL-16, MIP-1α, basic FGF, eotaxin, IL-15, PDGF-BB, TRAIL, VEGF-A, and IL-5. Additionally, serum CTACK, basic FGF, GRO-α, IL-1α, IL-1RA, IL-2Rα, IL-9, IL-15, IL-16, IL-18, IP-10, M-CSF, MIF, MIG, RANTES, SCGF-β, SDF-1α, TNF-α, TNF-β, VEGF, PDGF-BB, TRAIL, β-NGF, eotaxin, GM-CSF, IFN-α2, INF-γ, and MCP-1 levels were considerably increased in patients with COVID-19. Among them, patients with pneumonia had higher serum IP-10 and M-CSF levels than patients without. Patients requiring less than 3 weeks to show negative COVID-19 tests after contracting COVID-19 had higher serum IP-10 levels than the remaining patients.
conclusionOur study revealed that nucleocapsid protein, lung epithelial cells, and IP-10 may be potential targets for the development of new strategies to prevent, or control, severe COVID-19.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.