SUMMARY. The coronavirus disease 2019, induced by SARS-CoV-2 virus (severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus 2), has led to a huge negative impact on people health all around the globe, including Ukraine. Potential effects of coronavirus infection on the course of osteoarthritis – one of the most widespread chronic degenerative joint illnesses. The aim of this work was to analyze the expression of COMP, TLR2, TLR4 and NFKB1 genes in synovial liquid cells, as well as to esta-blish the concentration of cytokines (IL-6, IL-8); TLR-2 and COMP in blood plasma of osteoarthritic patients having beaten SARS-CoV2 infection. The research included 75 men, aged from 45 to 55 years. The volunte-ers were divided into the following groups: the first group (n = 25) – conditionally healthy people, the second group (n = 25) – II–III degree knee joint osteoarthritis patients, and the third group consisted of 25 patients with II–III degree knee joint osteoarthritis after beating COVID-19. The expression levels of COMP, TLR2, TLR4 and NFKB1 genes in knee joint synovial liquid cells was measured by RT-qPCR. The concentration of IL-6, IL-8, TLR-2 and COMP was estimated with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. More significant decrease in the COMP gene expression in osteoarthritic patients, having beaten COVID-19, was shown compared to the group with knee joint osteoarthritis alone on the background of more intensive COMP concentration increase in patients with osteoarthritis after SARS-CoV2 infection. At the same time the increase in expression levels of TLR2, TLR4 and NFKB1 was also detected being more evident in osteoarthritic patients after beating COVID-19 disease if compared to the group of patients with knee joint osteoarthritis on the background of more substantial increase in IL-6, IL-8 and TLR-2 in osteoarthritic patients having survived SARS-CoV2 infection. Exacerbation of systemic inflammation due to the body’s response to viral invasion can cause such a pathological connection. Our results indicate the intensification of destructive processes in the cells of the synovial fluid of patients with osteoarthritis after SARS-CoV2 infection, which may indicate the risk of a more severe course of this disease.
Keywords: SARS-CoV-2, osteoarthritis, inflammation, COMP, TLR2, TLR4, NFKB1 gene expression, IL-6, IL-8, TLR-2, COMP
