tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Sci Rep
. 2026 Feb 19.
doi: 10.1038/s41598-026-40236-9. Online ahead of print.
Altered NGF and GDNF levels reveal neuroimmune dysregulation in COVID-19 patients
Lale Saka Baraz[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Evrim Ataca[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Nur Duzen Oflas[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Seyma Canavar Kosali[SUP] 4 5 [/SUP], Busra Usta[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Alihan Oral[SUP] 7 [/SUP], Mustafa Cihangiroglu[SUP] 8 [/SUP], Metin Ozgen[SUP] 9 [/SUP], Demet Yalcin Kehribar[SUP] 10 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Neurotrophins such as nerve growth factor (NGF) and glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) are crucial for neuronal maintenance and immune regulation. However, their dynamics during coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) remain unclear. In this prospective study, 30 hospitalized patients with PCR-confirmed COVID-19 were evaluated longitudinally. Serum NGF, GDNF, and conventional inflammatory markers (CRP, ESR, fibrinogen, ferritin, D-dimer, LDH, hematological counts) were measured on Day 1, Day 4, and at discharge. A control group of 37 healthy individuals was included for cross-sectional comparison. Both NGF and GDNF levels were significantly lower in COVID-19 patients at admission compared with healthy individuals. NGF showed a modest early decline from Day 1 to Day 4, followed by partial recovery at discharge, whereas GDNF remained stable throughout hospitalization. Inflammatory markers demonstrated expected clinical trajectories: CRP, ESR, LDH, and fibrinogen decreased during recovery, while WBC, neutrophils, and platelets increased. Ferritin and D-dimer showed no meaningful temporal changes. NGF appears to reflect acute neuroimmune activation in COVID-19 and may serve as a dynamic biomarker of early inflammatory resolution. Conversely, GDNF remained persistently suppressed, suggesting a distinct role in chronic neuroimmune regulation. These findings highlight NGF and GDNF as potential targets for monitoring and modulating neuroimmune responses in COVID-19 and other inflammation-driven conditions.
Keywords: Biomarkers; COVID-19; GDNF; Inflammation; NGF; Neurotrophins.
. 2026 Feb 19.
doi: 10.1038/s41598-026-40236-9. Online ahead of print.
Altered NGF and GDNF levels reveal neuroimmune dysregulation in COVID-19 patients
Lale Saka Baraz[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Evrim Ataca[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Nur Duzen Oflas[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Seyma Canavar Kosali[SUP] 4 5 [/SUP], Busra Usta[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Alihan Oral[SUP] 7 [/SUP], Mustafa Cihangiroglu[SUP] 8 [/SUP], Metin Ozgen[SUP] 9 [/SUP], Demet Yalcin Kehribar[SUP] 10 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 41714345
- DOI: 10.1038/s41598-026-40236-9
Neurotrophins such as nerve growth factor (NGF) and glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) are crucial for neuronal maintenance and immune regulation. However, their dynamics during coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) remain unclear. In this prospective study, 30 hospitalized patients with PCR-confirmed COVID-19 were evaluated longitudinally. Serum NGF, GDNF, and conventional inflammatory markers (CRP, ESR, fibrinogen, ferritin, D-dimer, LDH, hematological counts) were measured on Day 1, Day 4, and at discharge. A control group of 37 healthy individuals was included for cross-sectional comparison. Both NGF and GDNF levels were significantly lower in COVID-19 patients at admission compared with healthy individuals. NGF showed a modest early decline from Day 1 to Day 4, followed by partial recovery at discharge, whereas GDNF remained stable throughout hospitalization. Inflammatory markers demonstrated expected clinical trajectories: CRP, ESR, LDH, and fibrinogen decreased during recovery, while WBC, neutrophils, and platelets increased. Ferritin and D-dimer showed no meaningful temporal changes. NGF appears to reflect acute neuroimmune activation in COVID-19 and may serve as a dynamic biomarker of early inflammatory resolution. Conversely, GDNF remained persistently suppressed, suggesting a distinct role in chronic neuroimmune regulation. These findings highlight NGF and GDNF as potential targets for monitoring and modulating neuroimmune responses in COVID-19 and other inflammation-driven conditions.
Keywords: Biomarkers; COVID-19; GDNF; Inflammation; NGF; Neurotrophins.