Introduction
Omicron is a variant of the novel coronavirus. Compared with other
strains, Omicron is highly transmissible and highly occult. After
infection, it mainly presents systemic symptoms such as fever and is
mostly accompanied by local symptoms such as respiratory symptoms such
as cough, digestive symptoms such as vomiting, and nervous system
symptoms such as dizziness1,2. Up to 30% of COVID-19
infections in adults have neurological symptoms, such as memory loss,
confusion, severe headaches, and even stroke, which can persist even
after the infection has ended, while children who are infected have a
lower incidence of neurological symptoms, but are more likely to
experience coughing, wheezing, and wheezing. In addition to the
inflammation of the lung interstitial after COVID-19 infection, it may
also be related to the regulation of the expression of neuropeptides in
lung epithelial cells2-4. There are abundant
neuropeptide systems in the human body, such as the neurokinin family
(Substance P, SP) and the bombine peptide family: Bell toad peptide,
gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP), neurokinin B, vasoactive intestinal
peptide, ACE/ACE2, such as vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP),
neuroblast-specific transfer factor (Achaete scute homolog 1 (ASCL1),
and angiotensinase. ACE2 has been shown to be the key for the new
coronavirus to enter the human body. In 2022, Professor Rick Thompson of
Queensland University of Technology said that the new coronavirus needs
to bind to the receptor ACE2 on the surface of human cells to enter and
infect human cell C, and their research found that even if it is only
briefly exposed to atmospheric pressure cold plasma. The ACE2 receptor
on the cell surface will also disappear immediately, which reduces the
way for the novel coronavirus to infect human cells through the receptor
and achieve the effect of preventing infection 5,6.
The expression of other neuropeptide family members in children with
COVID-19 infection and their correlation with inflammatory indicators
will be further discussed below.