Interferon-Induced Transmembrane Protein 3 rs34481144 C/T Genotype and Clinical Parameters Related to Progression of COVID-19.

Recent research has associated the interferon-induced transmembrane protein 3 gene (IFITM3) with the outcomes of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), although the findings are contradictory. This study aimed to determine the relationship between IFITM3 gene rs34481144 polymorphism and clinical parameters with COVID-19 mortality. The tetra-primer amplification refractory mutation system-polymerase chain reaction assay was used to analyze IFITM3 rs34481144 polymorphism in 1,149 deceased and 1,342 recovered patients. The clinical parameters were extracted from the patients' medical records. In this study, the frequency of IFITM3 rs34481144 CT genotypes (OR 1.47, 95% CI 1.23-1.76, P < 0.0001) in both sexes was significantly higher in deceased patients than in recovered patients. Moreover, IFITM3 rs34481144 TT genotypes (OR 3.38, 95% CI 1.05-10.87, P < 0.0001) in women were significantly associated with COVID-19 mortality. The multivariable logistic regression model results indicated that mean age (P < 0.001), alkaline phosphatase (P = 0.005), alanine aminotransferase (P < 0.001), low-density lipoprotein (P < 0.001), high-density lipoprotein (P < 0.001), fasting blood glucose (P = 0.010), creatinine (P < 0.001), uric acid (P < 0.001), C-reactive protein (P = 0.004), 25-hydroxyvitamin D (P < 0.001), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (P < 0.001), and real-time PCR Ct values (P < 0.001) were linked with increased COVID-19 death rates. In conclusion, IFITM3 rs34481144 gene polymorphism was linked to the mortality of COVID-19, with the rs34481144-T allele being especially important for mortality. Further studies are needed to confirm the results of this study.

rs12329760 Polymorphism in Transmembrane Serine Protease 2 Gene and Risk of Coronavirus Disease 2019 Mortality

The protease produced by the transmembrane serine protease 2 (TMPRSS2) gene enhances viral infections and has been linked to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 pathogenesis. Therefore, this study evaluated the association between TMPRSS2 and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) mortality. TMPRSS2 rs12329760 polymorphism was genotyped using the tetraprimer amplification refractory mutation system-polymerase chain reaction method in 592 dead and 693 improved patients. In the current study, the frequency of TMPRSS2 rs12329760 CC than TT genotypes was significantly lower in improved patients than in dead patients. According to the findings of the multivariate logistic regression test, higher levels of mean age, creatinine, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein, aspartate aminotransferase, lower levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D, uric acid, and real-time PCR Ct values and TMPRSS2 rs12329760 CC genotype were observed to be associated with increased COVID-19 mortality rates. In conclusion, the TMPRSS2 rs12329760 CC genotype was a polymorphism linked to a significantly higher incidence of severe COVID-19. Further studies are required to corroborate the obtained findings.

Increased risk of COVID-19 mortality rate in IFITM3 rs6598045 G allele carriers infected by SARS-CoV-2 delta variant.

BACKGROUND: The interferon-induced transmembrane-protein 3 (IFITM3) is a vital component of the immune system's defense against viral infection. Variants in the IFITM3 gene have been linked to changes in expression and the risk of severe Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This study aimed to investigate whether IFITM3 rs6598045, quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) cycle threshold (Ct) values, and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants are associated with an increased mortality rate of COVID-19. METHODS: The genotyping of IFITM3 rs6598045 polymorphism was analyzed using the amplification refractory mutation system-polymerase chain reaction in 1342 recovered and 1149 deceased patients positive for SARS-CoV-2. RESULTS: In this study, IFITM3 rs6598045 G allele as minor allele frequency was significantly more common in the deceased patients than in the recovered ones. Furthermore, the highest mortality rates were observed in Delta variant and lowest qPCR Ct values. COVID-19 mortality was associated with IFITM3 rs6598045 GG and AG in Delta variant and IFITM3 rs6598045 AG in Alpha variant. A statistically significant difference was observed in the qPCR Ct values between individuals with GG and AG genotypes and those with an AA genotype. CONCLUSION: A possible correlation was observed between the mortality rate of COVID-19, the G allele of IFITM3 rs6598045, and SARS-CoV-2 variants. However, large-scale research is still required to validate our results.

ABO rs657152 and Blood Groups Are as Predictor Factors of COVID-19 Mortality in the Iranian Population.

Several studies have discovered a relationship between specific blood types, genetic variations of the ABO gene, and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the association between ABO rs657152 polymorphisms and ABO blood groups with COVID-19 mortality. The tetraprimer amplification refractory mutation system, polymerase chain reaction method, was used for ABO rs657152 polymorphism genotyping in 1,211 dead and 1,442 improved patients. In the current study, the frequency of ABO rs657152 AA than CC genotypes was significantly higher in dead patients than in improved patients. Our findings indicated that blood type A was associated with the highest risk of COVID-19 mortality compared to other blood groups, and patients with blood type O have a lower risk of infection, suggesting that blood type O may be a protective factor against COVID-19 mortality. Multivariate logistic regression test indicated that higher COVID-19 mortality rates were linked with alkaline phosphatase, alanine aminotransferase, high density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein, fasting blood glucose, uric acid, creatinine, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein, 25-hydroxyvitamin D, real-time PCR Ct values, ABO blood groups, and ABO rs657152 AA genotype. In conclusion, the AA genotype of ABO rs657152 and blood type A were associated with a considerably increased frequency of COVID-19 mortality. Further research is necessary to validate the obtained results.

On the relationship between tripartite motif-containing 22 single-nucleotide polymorphisms and COVID-19 infection severity.

BACKGROUND: The tripartite motif containing (TRIM)-22 participates in innate immune responses and exhibits antiviral activities. The present study aimed to assess of the relationship between TRIM22 single-nucleotide polymorphisms and clinical parameters with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection severity. METHODS: TRIM22 polymorphisms (rs7113258, rs7935564, and rs1063303) were genotyped using TaqMan polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay in 495 dead and 497 improved severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)-positive patients. RESULTS: In this study, the frequencies of TRIM22 rs1063303 GG, rs7935564 GG, and rs7113258 TT were significantly higher in dead patients than in improved patients, and higher viral load with low PCR Ct value was noticed in dead patients. The multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that the lower levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL), cholesterol, PCR Ct value, and lower 25-hydroxyvitamin D, and also higher levels of erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP), and TRIM22 rs1063303 GG, rs7113258 TT, and rs3824949 GG genotypes were related to the COVID-19 infection severity. CONCLUSION: Our finding proved the probable relationship between the COVID-19 infection severity with the genotypes of TRIM22 SNPs and clinical parameters. More research is required worldwide to show the association between the COVID-19 infection severity and host genetic factors.

Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 rs2285666 polymorphism and clinical parameters as the determinants of COVID-19 severity in Iranian population.

Host genetic factors may be correlated with the severity of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) plays a vital role in viral cell entrance. The current study aimed to evaluate the association of ACE2 rs2285666 polymorphism and clinical parameters with COVID-19 mortality. The ACE2 rs2285666 polymorphism was genotyped using the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism in 556 recovered and 522 dead patients. In this study, the frequency of ACE2 rs2285666 CC was significantly higher than TT genotype in dead patients. The multivariate logistic regression analysis results showed that the higher levels of alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, creatinine, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and C-reactive protein and the low levels of uric acid, cholesterol, low density lipoprotein, 25-hydroxyvitamin D, real-time PCR Ct values, and ACE2 rs2285666 CC genotype were associated with increased mortality rates after COVID-19. In conclusion, our findings demonstrated a possible link between COVID-19 mortality, clinical parameters, and ACE2 rs2285666 CC. Further research is required to confirm these results.

Impact of interferon-induced transmembrane protein 3 gene rs12252 polymorphism on COVID-19 mortality.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Interferon-induced transmembrane protein 3 (IFITM3) plays a critical role in the adaptive and innate immune response by preventing membrane hemifusion between the host and viral cell cytoplasm. This study aimed to evaluate whether IFITM3 rs12252 polymorphism is related to an increased mortality rate of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). METHODS: The IFITM3 rs12252 polymorphism was genotyped using the amplification refractory mutation system-polymerase chain reaction (ARMS-PCR) in 548 dead and 630 improved patients positive for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). RESULTS: In the present study, the minor allele frequency of IFITM3 rs12252 (C) was significantly more frequent in dead patients than in improved cases. The results of the multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that the lower lipid profiles, PCR Ct value, 25-hydroxyvitamin D, and uric acid and higher levels of erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), liver enzymes, and creatinine, and IFITM3 rs12252 CC genotypes were related to the COVID-19 infection mortality. CONCLUSIONS: In summary, our findings suggested a possible link between the mortality of COVID-19 infection, the CC genotypes of IFITM3 rs12252, and clinical parameters. Further investigations are required worldwide to prove the link relationship of COVID-19 mortality with host genetic factors.

Reactivation of Mycobacterium simiae after the recovery of COVID-19 infection.

There are limited studies on the coinfection of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) with nontuberculous mycobacteria. Here, we briefly describe the reactivation of Mycobacterium simiae infection in a patient who had recovered from COVID-19 in October 2020, Iran. During the pandemic of COVID-19, other infectious agents should not be ignored.