Factors of Interleukin-6 Signaling in COVID-19 Patients with Lung Damage of Varying Degrees: A Pilot Study

Specific features of IL-6 signal transduction were studied in 89 patients with lung damage of varying degrees during the first COVID-19 pandemic wave. The levels of IL-6 signaling components (IL-6, sIL-6R, and sgp130) and highly sensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP) were examined in patients with intact lungs (CT-0), mild (CT-1), moderate (CT-2), moderate to severe (CT-3), and severe (CT-4) lung damage. Seventy patients were re-examined 3-7 months after discharge from the hospital. The IL-6 and hsCRP levels increased several times with severing lung damage severity. In patients with CT-3, sIL6-R increased statistically significantly and remained high in CT-4 patients. sgp130 levels were lower in CT-1 and CT-2 patients and higher in CT-3 and CT-4 patients compared to CT-0 patients. We revealed a positive correlation between IL-6 and hsCRP levels in CT-1, CT-2, and CT-3 patients. In CT-3 patients, sIL-6R levels positively correlated with IL-6 concentration. The studied parameters decreased considerably in all patients 3-7 months after discharge. It can be suggested that IL-6 classic-signaling is predominant in CT-1 and CT-2, while trans-signaling prevails in CT-3. Disorders in regulatory mechanisms of IL-6 signaling occur in CT-4, which prevents physiological elimination of IL-6 hyperactivity. The results obtained are preliminary and require a broader study.