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Assay of Fatty Acids and Their Role in the Prevention and Treatment of COVID-19

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Multiplex Biomarker Techniques

Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 2511))

Abstract

Since the emergence of COVID-19, concerted worldwide efforts have taken place to minimize global spread of the contagion. Its widespread effects have also facilitated evolution of new strains, such as the delta and omicron variants, which emerged toward the end of 2020 and 2021, respectively. While these variants appear to be no more deadly than the previous alpha, beta, and gamma strains, and widespread population vaccinations notwithstanding, greater virulence makes the challenge of minimizing spread even greater. One of the peculiarities of this virus is the extreme heath impacts, with the great majority of individuals minimally affected, even sometimes unaware of infection, while for a small minority, it is deadly or produces diverse long-term effects. Apart from vaccination, another approach has been an attempt to identify treatments, for those individuals for whom the virus represents a threat of particularly severe health impact(s). These treatments include anti-SARS-CoV-2 monoclonal antibodies, anticoagulant therapies, interleukin inhibitors, and anti-viral agents such as remdesivir. Nutritional factors are also under consideration, and a variety of clinical trials are showing promise for the use of specific fatty acids, or related compounds such as fat-soluble steroid vitamin D, to mitigate the more lethal aspects of COVID-19 by modulating inflammation and by anti-viral effects. Here we explore the potential protective role of fatty acids as a potential prophylactic as well as remedial treatment during viral infections, particularly COVID-19. We present a multiplexed method for the analysis of free and phospholipid bound fatty acids, which may facilitate research into the role of fatty acids as plasma biomarkers and therapeutic agents in minimizing pre- and post-infection health impacts.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia

    Tharusha Jayasena, Anne Poljak & Perminder Sachdev

  2. Bioanalytical Mass Spectrometry Facility, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia

    Sonia Bustamante & Anne Poljak

  3. Neuropsychiatric Institute, Euroa Centre, Prince of Wales Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia

    Perminder Sachdev

Authors
  1. Tharusha Jayasena
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  2. Sonia Bustamante
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  3. Anne Poljak
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  4. Perminder Sachdev
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Correspondence to Tharusha Jayasena .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Neuroproteomics, Department of Biochemistry and Tissue Biology, University of Campinas, Campinas, Sao Paulo, Brazil

    Paul C. Guest

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Jayasena, T., Bustamante, S., Poljak, A., Sachdev, P. (2022). Assay of Fatty Acids and Their Role in the Prevention and Treatment of COVID-19. In: Guest, P.C. (eds) Multiplex Biomarker Techniques. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 2511. Humana, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-2395-4_16

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-2395-4_16

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  • Publisher Name: Humana, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-0716-2394-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-0716-2395-4

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