Background: Various micronutrients play key roles in the immune responses to viral infection, antibody synthesis, and susceptibility to infection. This study aimed to investigate the role of micronutrients on the immune responses following SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Methods: To evaluate humoral immunity following SARS-CoV-2 infection, the levels of SARS-CoV-2-specific IgM and IgG, as well as the concentrations of different micronutrients, were determined in 36 convalescent COVID-19 patients 60 days after infection. Furthermore, the correlation between biochemical and hematological parameters, clinical features, and the changes in adiposity with SARS-CoV-2 antibodies was evaluated.
Results: Serum IgM and IgG antibodies were detected in 38.8% and 83.3% of recovered patients after 60 days of COVID-19 infection, respectively. The values of SARS-CoV-2-specific IgG were negatively correlated with the number of the platelet. Moreover, the values of SARS-CoV-2-specific IgM were positively correlated with LDH and the vitamin B12 concentration. Furthermore, a gender-specific association of SARS-CoV-2-specific IgG and IgM with vitamins D as well as with B9 and zinc was observed. A significant negative correlation was observed between the values of IgG with vitamin D in male participants and a positive correlation was detected between IgG values and B9 in female participants. Moreover, IgM levels with serum zinc values in females were negatively correlated.
Conclusion: Our study suggests the potential role of micronutrients in gender-specific humoral immunity following SARS-CoV-2 infection. Further studies are required with a greater sample of subjects to substantiate the validity and robustness of our findings.
Keywords: Antibodies; Healthcare workers; Immune system; Pandemics; Viral infection.
© 2022. The Author(s).