Assessment of serum Ninj1 as a potential biomarker for predicting severity in patients with COVID-19

Infection with SARS-CoV-2 elevates the expression of cytokines, resulting in a cytokine storm that serves as the primary factor for severe illness and mortality; however, effective markers for predicting disease severity and preventing are lacking. Thus, we investigated the association between serum levels of nerve injury-induced protein 1 (Ninj1), a mediator of plasma membrane rupture, and the extent of lung damage in COVID-19 patients was examined to anticipate the severity of SARS-CoV-2 infection. This study included 62 healthy participants and 264 patients with COVID-19. The serum levels of Ninj1, cytokines (interleukin (IL)- 1β, IL-2, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, interferon-γ (IFN-γ), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α)), and inflammatory markers (C-reactive protein (CRP), procalcitonin (PCT), ferritin, and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH)) were measured and correlated with disease severity using Pearson’s correlation test. Our tests revealed that elevated levels of Ninj1, IL-6, PCT, and LDH were observed in individuals suffering from COVID-19, and these concentrations were linked to the severity of the illness. Analysis of correlation indicated that Ninj1 levels were related to the concentrations of these biomarkers. Additionally, Ninj1 expression exhibited a correlation with the viral load of SARS-CoV-2. Circulating Ninj1 levels showed good predictive potential for respiratory failure and prognosis. Finally, we found that SARS-CoV-2 infection increases serum Ninj1 levels, which are correlated with disease severity. Ninj1 could serve as a serum biomarker for forecasting the severity of COVID-19.