National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPQ #401235/2020-3); Fundação Amazônia de Amparo a Estudos e Pesquisa do Pará (FAPESPA #005/2020 and #006/2020), Secretaria de Estado de Ciência, Tecnologia e Educação Profissional e Tecnológica (#09/ 2021) and Universidade Federal do Pará (PAPQ/2022)Federal University of Pará. Institute of Biological Sciences. Laboratory of Virology. Belém, PA, Brazil / Federal University of Pará. Institute of Biological Sciences. Graduate Program in Biology of Infectious and Parasitic Agents. Belém, PA, Brazil.Federal University of Pará. Institute of Biological Sciences. Laboratory of Virology. Belém, PA, Brazil / Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Ciência, Tecnologia, Inovação e Insumos Estratégicos. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Virologia. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil.Federal University of Pará. Institute of Biological Sciences. Laboratory of Virology. Belém, PA, Brazil / Federal University of Pará. Institute of Biological Sciences. Graduate Program in Biology of Infectious and Parasitic Agents. Belém, PA, Brazil.Federal University of Pará. Institute of Biological Sciences. Laboratory of Virology. Belém, PA, Brazil / Federal University of Pará. Institute of Biological Sciences. Graduate Program in Biology of Infectious and Parasitic Agents. Belém, PA, Brazil.Federal University of Pará. Institute of Biological Sciences. Laboratory of Virology. Belém, PA, Brazil / Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Ciência, Tecnologia, Inovação e Insumos Estratégicos. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Virologia. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil.Federal University of Pará. Institute of Biological Sciences. Laboratory of Virology. Belém, PA, Brazil / Federal University of Pará. Institute of Biological Sciences. Graduate Program in Biology of Infectious and Parasitic Agents. Belém, PA, Brazil.Federal University of Pará. Institute of Biological Sciences. Laboratory of Virology. Belém, PA, Brazil / Federal University of Pará. Institute of Biological Sciences. Graduate Program in Biology of Infectious and Parasitic Agents. Belém, PA, Brazil.Federal University of Pará. Institute of Biological Sciences. Graduate Program in Biology of Infectious and Parasitic Agents. Belém, PA, Brazil / Federal University of Pará. Institute of Biological Sciences. Laboratory of Genetics of Complex Diseases. Belém, PA, Brazil.Federal University of Pará. Institute of Biological Sciences. Graduate Program in Biology of Infectious and Parasitic Agents. Belém, PA, Brazil / Federal University of Pará. Institute of Biological Sciences. Laboratory of Genetics of Complex Diseases. Belém, PA, Brazil.Federal University of Pará. Institute of Biological Sciences. Graduate Program in Biology of Infectious and Parasitic Agents. Belém, PA, Brazil / Federal University of Pará. Institute of Biological Sciences. Laboratory of Genetics of Complex Diseases. Belém, PA, Brazil.Federal University of Pará. Institute of Biological Sciences. Graduate Program in Biology of Infectious and Parasitic Agents. Belém, PA, Brazil / Federal University of Pará. Institute of Biological Sciences. Laboratory of Genetics of Complex Diseases. Belém, PA, Brazil.Federal University of Pará. Institute of Biological Sciences. Laboratory of Genetics of Complex Diseases. Belém, PA, Brazil.Federal University of Pará. Institute of Biological Sciences. Laboratory of Genetics of Complex Diseases. Belém, PA, Brazil.Federal University of Pará. Institute of Biological Sciences. Laboratory of Genetics of Complex Diseases. Belém, PA, Brazil.Federal University of Pará. Institute of Biological Sciences. Graduate Program in Biology of Infectious and Parasitic Agents. Belém, PA, Brazil / Federal University of Pará. Institute of Biological Sciences. Laboratory of Genetics of Complex Diseases. Belém, PA, Brazil.Federal University of Pará. Institute of Biological Sciences. Graduate Program in Biology of Infectious and Parasitic Agents. Belém, PA, Brazil / Federal University of Pará. Institute of Biological Sciences. Laboratory of Genetics of Complex Diseases. Belém, PA, Brazil.Federal University of Pará. Institute of Biological Sciences. Graduate Program in Biology of Infectious and Parasitic Agents. Belém, PA, Brazil / Federal University of Pará. Institute of Biological Sciences. Laboratory of Genetics of Complex Diseases. Belém, PA, Brazil.Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde e Ambiente. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Laboratório de Pesquisa Básica em Malária, Ananindeua, PA, Brasil.Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde e Ambiente. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Laboratório de Pesquisa Básica em Malária, Ananindeua, PA, Brasil / Federal University of Pará. Institute of Medical Sciences. School of Medicine. Belém, PA, Brazil.Belém Adventist Hospital. Belém, PA, Brazil.Belém Adventist Hospital. Belém, PA, Brazil.Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde e Ambiente. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Laboratório de Imunologia. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil / Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde e Ambiente. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil.Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde e Ambiente. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Laboratório de Imunologia. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil / Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde e Ambiente. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil.Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde e Ambiente. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Laboratório de Imunologia. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil.Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Ciência, Tecnologia, Inovação e Insumos Estratégicos. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Virologia. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil / Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde e Ambiente. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Laboratório de Imunologia. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil.Federal University of Pará. Institute of Biological Sciences. Laboratory of Virology. Belém, PA, Brazil.Federal University of Pará. Institute of Biological Sciences. Laboratory of Virology. Belém, PA, Brazil.Federal University of Pará. Institute of Biological Sciences. Laboratory of Virology. Belém, PA, Brazil / Federal University of Pará. Institute of Biological Sciences. Graduate Program in Biology of Infectious and Parasitic Agents. Belém, PA, Brazil.Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Ciência, Tecnologia, Inovação e Insumos Estratégicos. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Virologia. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil / Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde e Ambiente. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Laboratório de Imunologia. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil.University of the State of Pará. Center of Biological and Health Sciences. Belém, PA, Brazil.University of the State of Pará. Center of Biological and Health Sciences. Belém, PA, Brazil.Federal University of Pará. Institute of Biological Sciences. Graduate Program in Biology of Infectious and Parasitic Agents. Belém, PA, Brazil / Federal University of Pará. Institute of Biological Sciences. Laboratory of Genetics of Complex Diseases. Belém, PA, Brazil.Federal University of Pará. Institute of Biological Sciences. Laboratory of Virology. Belém, PA, Brazil / Federal University of Pará. Institute of Biological Sciences. Graduate Program in Biology of Infectious and Parasitic Agents. Belém, PA, Brazil.Introduction: Mannose-binding lectin (MBL) promotes opsonization, favoring phagocytosis and activation of the complement system in response to different microorganisms, and may influence the synthesis of inflammatory cytokines. This study investigated the association of MBL2 gene polymorphisms with the plasma levels of MBL and inflammatory cytokines in COVID-19. Methods: Blood samples from 385 individuals (208 with acute COVID-19 and 117 post-COVID-19) were subjected to real-time PCR genotyping. Plasma measurements of MBL and cytokines were performed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and flow cytometry, respectively. Results: The frequencies of the polymorphic MBL2 genotype (OO) and allele (O) were higher in patients with severe COVID-19 (p< 0.05). The polymorphic genotypes (AO and OO) were associated with lower MBL levels (p< 0.05). IL-6 and TNF-α were higher in patients with low MBL and severe COVID-19 (p< 0.05). No association of polymorphisms, MBL levels, or cytokine levels with long COVID was observed. Discussion: The results suggest that, besides MBL2 polymorphisms promoting a reduction in MBL levels and therefore in its function, they may also contribute to the development of a more intense inflammatory process responsible for the severity of COVID-19
