IL-2 (T330G) gene promoter polymorphism and its effect on lymphocyte-platelet adhesion in patients with coronavirus infection SARS-COV- 2 (COVID-19)

ABSTRACT

Background: Cytokines are signaling molecules and involve lymphocytes and macrophages in the immune response. Lymphocyte-platelet adhesion is one of the mechanisms that ensure the cooperation of various subpopulations of cells and allow them to migrate through the vascular wall into the tissue. Aim(s) To study the function of lymphocyte-platelet adhesion depending on SNP of IL-2 (T330G) gene in healthy subjects and patients with COVID-19. Method(s) The research involved 168 patients with COVID-19 and 100 healthy people of the same age and gender. The participants of the study were Caucasian race and lived in the Trans-Baikal Territory. The examine of LPA was carried out by the method of Yuri Vitkovsky et al. (1999). The SNP of IL-2 (T330G) gene was determined by PCR. Such methods as Equilibrium Hardy-Weinberg, chi2-test, odds ratio descriptive statistics and the mean values (M) and standard deviation (SD) were used. Statistical significance was measured at the value p < 0.05. Result(s) We found all the studied IL-2 mutations in accordance with the Hardy-Weinberg law (p>0.05). The heterozygous T/G of IL-2 gene was registered significantly more frequently in the group of patients in comparison with the control group. Based on the obtained data on frequency distribution, the chance of developing SARS-COV- 2 increased in carriers of the allele T and the T/T genotype of IL-2 gene (p < 0.001). It was found that patients with SARS-COV- 2 had an increase in the LPA index compared to the group of healthy individuals (15.2 +/- 1.1%). The maximum amount of LPA was detected among patients with T/T genotype -39.7 +/- 2.1%, the minimum amount -in the owners of G/G (31.4 +/- 1.9%) (p< \0.001). Conclusion(s) 1) SARS-COV- 2 is accompanied by an increase in LPA function indicators, which depend on SNP of IL-2 (T330G) gene. 2) Carriers of allele T and T/T genotype of IL-2 gene (T330G) predispose to the development of COVID-19.