Background: Epithelial cells are the initial defense against SARS-CoV2 infection and release alarmins to rapidly activate immune responses. The impact of genetic predisposition on the production of these cytokines is unclear.

Methods: Blood samples were collected from 65 COVID -ve 84 and COVID +ve hospitalized patients. Cytokines were measured using the Mesoplex protein assay and reported in log pg/ml. Genotyping was performed on the DNA extracted from blood samples. COVID +ve patients were categorized into moderate and severe groups based on the severity of their COVID-19 symptoms and radiographic changes.

Results: Compared to COVID -ve, IL-33 and IL-25 levels were higher in COVID +ve patients (p<0.001); TSLP levels were numerically but not statistically higher. Among COVID +ve patients, carriers of TSLP mutant alleles for rs2289276 and rs3806933 had significantly lower TSLP protein levels, indicating a protective effect on TSLP production. No differences in TSLP protein levels or frequency of mutant allele were found between COVID +ve and -ve groups or between COVID +ve moderate and severe groups (p>0.05).

Conclusion: Overall, IL-25 and IL-33 levels were elevated in response to COVID-19. COVID +ve patients with specific SNPs in the TSLP gene had lower TSLP levels in, pointing to a role for genetics in individual response to the virus. This highlights the importance of considering genetic factors in predicting and managing COVID-19 infections.