COVID-19-associated changes in nasal mucosa: Insights from inflammatory and epithelial cell profiling
Background: Coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19), caused by Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), primarily affects nasal cavities by binding its spike proteins to angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptors. This study aimed to assess inflammatory and epithelial cell...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_185_25 |
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| Summary: | Background:
Coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19), caused by Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), primarily affects nasal cavities by binding its spike proteins to angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptors. This study aimed to assess inflammatory and epithelial cell counts and determine their ratios in exfoliated nasal mucosal cells of COVID-19 suspected patients.
Methodology:
This cross-sectional study was conducted at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Mangalagiri, from August to October 2022, involving 75 COVID-19 suspected patients. Nasal smears were collected, stained with Papanicolaou test (PAP), and analyzed for inflammatory and epithelial cell counts. Participants were grouped as COVID-19 positive and negative based on Real Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) results. Genotoxicity factors were evaluated using mean and standard deviation values.
Results:
In COVID-19 positive individuals, mean cell counts for neutrophils, eosinophils, lymphocytes, mast cells, macrophages, and epithelial cells were 42.08, 6.68, 4.48, 0.84, 0.12, and 45.80, respectively. In COVID-19 negative patients, the corresponding values were 38.08, 13.76, 11.12, 2.66, 0.22, and 34.16. The inflammatory ratios for neutrophils to eosinophils and neutrophils to lymphocytes in COVID-19 positive individuals were 7.30 and 14.06, respectively. SARS-CoV-2 infection resulted in elevated neutrophil and epithelial cell counts and decreased eosinophil, lymphocyte, mast cell, and macrophage count.
Conclusions:
SARS-CoV-2 exhibits unique immunological alterations in nasal mucosa. The inflammatory ratios of neutrophils-to-eosinophils and neutrophils-to-lymphocytes may serve as reliable diagnostic markers for COVID-19. |
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| ISSN: | 2249-4863 2278-7135 |