The higher expression of monocyte chemotactic protein 1 in mild COVID-19 patients is correlation with the inhibition of IFN signaling

Abstract Background: The level of chemokine was markedly elevated in severe COVID-19 patients. But the role of chemokine in mild COVID-19 has not yet been established. However, most of the COVID-19 patients in Shiyan City, China, had mild cases. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the level of chemokine in mild COVID-19 patients and to explore the correlation between chemokine and host immune response.Methods: In this study, the level of chemokine in the serum for COVID-19 patients in Shiyan City was detected by ELISA. The expression of chemokine receptor and other signal molecular was detected by real-time PCR. Results: We first demonstrated that COVID-19 patients are characterized by higher levels of chemokine. Meanwhile, monocyte chemotactic protein 1 (MCP-1) has shown higher expression in patients with mild cases of COVID-19. The receptor of MCP-1, CCR2 was also found to be expressed at higher levels in the same mild COVID-19 patients. Finally, the higher expression of MCP-1 in mild COVID-19 patients is correlated with the inhibition of IFN signaling. Conclusion: These findings add to our understanding of the immune-pathologic mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2 infection, and provide potential therapeutic targets and strategies. MCP-1 may be an effective indicator in mild patients, and early use of interferon has a good antiviral therapeutic effect.