Dysregulated lipids in plasma and erythrocytes of COVID-19 patients and association with mental health

Abstract

The lipid composition of the plasma and erythrocytes homogenate extract of COVID-19 patients was characterized and measured by using liquid-chromatography-ion trap mass spectrometric (LC-IT-MS). The samples collected from COVID-19 patients also showed a significant change in the level of lipids with the formation of a distinct pattern. It is known that the disruption of the cellular lipid composition facilitates the virus penetration and replication process. The most dysregulated lipids in the plasma and erythrocytes of COVID-19 patients included plasmenylphosphatidylethanolamines, diacyl-glycero-phosphatidylethanolamines (PEs), diacyl-glycero-phosphatidylcholines (PCs), arachidonic acid, some oxylipids, and glycerophosphatidylinositols (PIs). The lipids, arachidonic acid, and oxylipids were dysregulated by a factor ranging from 1.4 to 4.8. The data also showed that eight major quantified PIs were significantly decreased in the erythrocytes of patients infected with COVID-19, including; 18:0_PI, 16:0_18:2_PI, 16:0_20:4_PI, 16:0_18:1_PI, 18:0_18:2_PI, 18:0_20:4_PI, 18:1_18:0_PI, and 18:0_20:3_PI. This dramatic dysregulation of cellular lipid structures is known to be associated with psychological problems, imbalances in mental health, and memory fog. The obtained data helped us to recommend prescribing fish roe extract as a supplementary natural product as a source of phospholipids that improve mental health and help against depression and anxiety.