Post-mortem study of 42 deceased COVID-19 patients in Brazil identifying molecular differences between the first and second pandemic waves that suggest potential therapeutic targets. Patients from the second wave showed significantly increased lung tissue expression of inflammasome-related proteins, most robustly Interleukin-18 (IL-18), as well as TLR-4 and NLRP3. Specific genetic polymorphisms in NFKB1 and NOX4 were linked to higher protein expression in the more severe second wave cases, suggesting these pathways may be valuable targets for future therapies.
dos et al., 14 Oct 2025, retrospective, Brazil, peer-reviewed, 11 authors, study period June 2020 - May 2021.
Contact: cleber.souza@pelepequenoprincipe.org.br, cleberius@gmail.com.
