Profile of Tau-Associated Selected MicroRNAs in Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients: An Exploratory Single-Center Study

Carbone, Elena; Zingaropoli, Maria Antonella; Perrone, Federica; Talarico, Giuseppina; Pasculli, Patrizia; Minni, Antonio; Petrella, Carla; Barbato, Christian; Piscopo, Paola

doi:10.3390/cells15060503

Open AccessArticle

Profile of Tau-Associated Selected MicroRNAs in Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients: An Exploratory Single-Center Study

by

Elena Carbone

¹

,

Maria Antonella Zingaropoli

²,

Federica Perrone

³

,

Giuseppina Talarico

⁴

,

Patrizia Pasculli

²

,

Antonio Minni

^5,6,7,

Carla Petrella

⁸

,

Christian Barbato

^8,*

and

Paola Piscopo

^1,*

¹

Department of Neuroscience, Italian National Institute of Health, Viale Regina Elena, 299, 00161 Rome, Italy

²

Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale del Policlinico, 155, 00185 Rome, Italy

³

National Center for Disease Prevention ad Heath Promotion, Italian National Institute of Health, Viale Regina Elena, 299, 00161 Rome, Italy

⁴

Department of Human Neuroscience, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale dell’ Università, 30, 00185 Rome, Italy

⁵

Department of Sense Organs DOS, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale del Policlinico, 155, 00161 Rome, Italy

⁶

Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, ASL Rieti-Sapienza University, Ospedale San Camillo de Lellis, Viale Kennedy, 02100 Rieti, Italy

⁷

Interdisciplinary Department of Well-Being, Health and Environmental Sustainability (BeSSA), Sapienza University of Rome, Via delle Fontanelle, 02100 Rieti, Italy

⁸

Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology (IBBC), National Research Council (CNR), Sapienza University of Rome, Policlinico Umberto I, Viale del Policlinico, 155, 00161 Rome, Italy

^*

Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Cells 2026, 15(6), 503; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells15060503

Submission received: 10 February 2026 / Revised: 5 March 2026 / Accepted: 11 March 2026 / Published: 12 March 2026

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Insights into the Pathophysiology of NeuroCOVID: Current Topics)

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Abstract

Tau-associated microRNAs have been implicated in neurodegenerative disorders, yet their behavior during SARS-CoV-2 infection remains insufficiently understood. The aim of this study was to quantify circulating levels of miR-92a-3p, miR-320a, and miR-320b in hospitalized COVID-19 patients and evaluate their relationship with disease severity and established biomarkers of neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration. We conducted a retrospective single-center study including 38 hospitalized COVID-19 patients and 12 healthy controls. MicroRNA plasma levels were quantified by RT-qPCR. Patients were stratified by ARDS severity and ventilation requirements. Correlations between miRNAs and previously published biomarkers were examined. All three miRNAs were elevated in COVID-19 patients compared to healthy controls. miR-92a-3p and miR-320a were increased in both severe and non-severe cases, while miR-320b was significantly elevated only in severe disease. No statistically significant correlations were observed between miRNA levels and NfL, GFAP, MMP-9, or other biomarkers in COVID-19 patients. Tau-associated circulating microRNAs appear dysregulated in acute SARS-CoV-2 infection, but their relationship to neurological injury remains unclear. These findings are preliminary and require validation in larger, longitudinal cohorts with standardized neurological outcomes.

Keywords: COVID-19; circulating microRNAs; miR-92a-3p; miR-320a; miR-320b; neuroinflammation; neurodegeneration; tau pathway; plasma biomarkers

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MDPI and ACS Style

Carbone, E.; Zingaropoli, M.A.; Perrone, F.; Talarico, G.; Pasculli, P.; Minni, A.; Petrella, C.; Barbato, C.; Piscopo, P. Profile of Tau-Associated Selected MicroRNAs in Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients: An Exploratory Single-Center Study. Cells 2026, 15, 503. https://doi.org/10.3390/cells15060503

AMA Style

Carbone E, Zingaropoli MA, Perrone F, Talarico G, Pasculli P, Minni A, Petrella C, Barbato C, Piscopo P. Profile of Tau-Associated Selected MicroRNAs in Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients: An Exploratory Single-Center Study. Cells. 2026; 15(6):503. https://doi.org/10.3390/cells15060503

Chicago/Turabian Style

Carbone, Elena, Maria Antonella Zingaropoli, Federica Perrone, Giuseppina Talarico, Patrizia Pasculli, Antonio Minni, Carla Petrella, Christian Barbato, and Paola Piscopo. 2026. "Profile of Tau-Associated Selected MicroRNAs in Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients: An Exploratory Single-Center Study" Cells 15, no. 6: 503. https://doi.org/10.3390/cells15060503

APA Style

Carbone, E., Zingaropoli, M. A., Perrone, F., Talarico, G., Pasculli, P., Minni, A., Petrella, C., Barbato, C., & Piscopo, P. (2026). Profile of Tau-Associated Selected MicroRNAs in Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients: An Exploratory Single-Center Study. Cells, 15(6), 503. https://doi.org/10.3390/cells15060503

Note that from the first issue of 2016, this journal uses article numbers instead of page numbers. See further details here.

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Profile of Tau-Associated Selected MicroRNAs in Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients: An Exploratory Single-Center Study

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