COVID-19 Survivor Patients Carrying the Rs35705950 Risk Allele in MUC5B Have Higher Plasma Levels of Mucin 5B.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Genetic susceptibility to infectious diseases is partly due to the variation in the human genome, and COVID-19 is not the exception. This study aimed to identify whether risk alleles of known genes linked with emphysema (SERPINA1) and pulmonary fibrosis (MUC5B) are associated with severe COVID-19, and whether plasma mucin 5B differs according to patients' outcomes.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

We included 1258 Mexican subjects diagnosed with COVID-19. We genotyped rs2892474 and rs17580 of the SERPINA1 gene and rs35705950 of MUC5B. Based on the rs35705950 genotypes, mucin 5B plasma protein levels were quantified.

RESULTS:

Homozygous for the risk alleles of the three polymorphisms were found in less than 5% of the study population, but no statistically significant difference in the genotype or allele association analysis. At the protein level, non-survivors carrying one or two copies of the risk allele rs35705950 in MUC5B (GT + TT) had lower levels of mucin 5B compared to the survivors (0.0 vs. 0.17 ng/mL, p = 0.0013).

CONCLUSION:

The polymorphisms rs28929474 and rs17580 of SERPINA1 and rs35705950 of MUC5B are not associated with the risk of severe COVID-19 in the Mexican population. COVID-19 survivor patients bearing one or two copies of the rs35705950 risk allele have higher plasma levels of mucin 5B.

• Authors: Salvador García-Carmona, Ramcés Falfán-Valencia, Abigail Verónica-Aguilar, Ivette Buendía-Roldán, Leslie Chávez-Galán, Rafael de Jesús Hernández-Zenteno, Alfonso Martínez-Morales, Ingrid Fricke-Galindo, Jesús Alanis-Ponce, Daniela Valencia-Pérez Rea, Ilse Adriana Gutiérrez-Pérez, Oscar Zaragoza-García, Karol J Nava-Quiroz, Angel Camarena, Mayra Mejía, Iris Paola Guzmán-Guzmán, Gloria Pérez-Rubio
• Journal: Current issues in molecular biology (Curr Issues Mol Biol) Vol. 44 Issue 8 Pg. 3283-3290 (Jul 22 2022) ISSN: 1467-3045 [Electronic] Switzerland
• PMID: 35892712 (Publication Type: Journal Article)