Rosuvastatin Administration and Its Effect on the IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α Cytokines Levels in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells of Type II Diabetes Mellitus Patients with COVID-19

Objective: Patients with cardiovascular disease (CVDs) have been reported to have the potential to experience severe COVID-19. The inflammatory cytokines such as IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α are frequently found in the COVID-19 cytokine storm. Because of the pleiotropic effect Rosuvastatin could be useful as an anti-inflammatory drug to suppress cytokine storms for possible COVID-19 therapy. This study aims to study the effect of rosuvastatin administration on IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α on peripheral blood mononuclear cells in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients stimulated with the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. Material and methods: Mononuclear cells were isolated from peripheral venous blood, and then stimulated with the SARS-CoV-2 subunit S1 spike protein and incubated for 24 hours. Cells that had been stimulated by the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein were separated into two groups. Group 1 was the control group, which was not given rosuvastatin. Group 2 was given rosuvastatin at a dose of 20 μM. The expressions of IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α were measured from the cell supernatant using the ELISA method. Results: Spike protein stimulation significantly increased the expression of IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α (p= 0.37). Rosuvastatin administered at a dose of 20 μM did not significantly decrease IL-6 (p = 0.568) or IL-1β (p = 0.848) expression but increased TNF-α expression (p = 0.792). Conclusion: Rosuvastatin administration did not affect the expression of IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of diabetics with stimulation of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein.