Fig. 1

CB2 receptor and MOR expression pattern in patients

Relative expression of Cannabinoid receptor 2 (CB2 receptor) and MOR (μ-opioid receptor) was evaluated in patients with different disease severity using specific CB2 and MOR primers by real-time PCR and normalized to the level of β-actin, as a housekeeping gene. Severe patient had acute clinical manifestations of the disease and high virus concentration in the nasopharyngeal specimen (CT value of gene expression below 20) and were hospitalized; while, non-severe patients had mild respiratory symptoms and low virus concentration in the nasopharyngeal specimen (CT value of gene expression greater than 30) and were not assessed for hospitalization. (A): An elevated level of CB2 receptor was detected in severe patients; (B): The CB2 receptor expression level increased in male and female patients with severe infection versus their opposite groups. (C): The mRNA level of MOR enhanced significantly in patients with severe infection; (D): MOR gene expression enhanced in male and female patients with severe SARS-CoV-2 (Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) infection versus their non-severe counterparts. Statistical significance was determined by P-values (two-tailed) and showed by asterisks on bars (*= P < 0.05, **= P < 0.01)