ABSTRACT
Altered blood hormone and metabolite levels during and post-COVID-19 have been extensively reported. Yet, studies of gene expression at the tissue level that can help identify the causes of endocrine dysfunctions are scarce. We analyzed transcript levels of endocrine-specific genes in five endocrine organs of lethal COVID-19 cases. Overall, 116 autoptic specimens from 77 individuals (50 COVID-19 and 27 uninfected controls) were included. All samples were tested for SARS-CoV-2 genome. Investigated organs included adrenals, pancreas, ovary, thyroid and white adipose tissue (WAT). Transcript levels of 42 endocrine-specific and 3 IFN-stimulated genes (ISGs) were measured and compared between COVID-19 cases (virus-positive and virus-negative in tissue) and uninfected controls. ISG transcript levels were enhanced in tissues positive for SARS-CoV-2. Endocrine-specific genes (e.g., HSD3B2, INS, IAPP, TSHR, FOXE1, LEP, CRYGD) were deregulated in COVID-19 cases in an organ-specific manner. Transcription of organ-specific genes was suppressed in virus-positive specimens of ovary, pancreas and thyroid but enhanced in adrenals. In WAT of COVID-19 cases transcription of ISGs and leptin was enhanced independently of the presence of virus. Our findings suggest that, in COVID-19, endocrine dysfunctions may arise especially when SARS-CoV-2 invades endocrine organs and that transcriptional alterations of endocrine-specific genes may contribute to endocrine manifestations.
Subject(s)
Endocrine System Diseases , Ovarian Neoplasms , Pancreatic Neoplasms , COVID-19ABSTRACT
The world searching for hope has already experienced a huge loss of lives due to COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2 started in Wuhan, China. There are speculations that climatic conditions can slowdown the transmission of COVID-19.Findings from the early outbreak indicated the possible association of air temperature and relative humidity in COVID-19 occurrence in China. Current study focused on whether climatic conditions(temperature and relative humidity)are having any influence in the occurrence of COVID-19 when the outbreak has been classified as pandemic. To determine the effect of daily average temperature and average relative humidity on log-transformed total daily cases of COVID-19, polynomial regression as a quadratic term and linear regression were done. Linear regression analysis was also carried out to explore the same effect on selected countries. Present study observed no correlation between the climatic conditions (the daily average temperature and relative humidity) and the number of cases of COVID-19. Similar result was found in relation between daily average temperature and average number of cases per day in country-wise analysis. However, about 93.5% cases of COVID-19 occurred between 1{degrees}C to 16{degrees}C and the average number of cases per day was lower in high temperature country than low temperature country with exceptions. The minimum effect of summer temperature may not be effective to control the pandemic rather need to apply the control measures of COVID-19.