Gene expression profile in peripheral blood cells of patients with COVID-19

Nataliia Melnichuk,Viktor Liashko,Vladimir Kashuba,Zenoviy Tkachuk

doi:10.3390/ecmc2020-07298

Nataliia Melnichuk, Viktor Liashko + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/ecmc2020-07298

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Abstract

The clinical course of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) varies from mild symptoms to acute respiratory distress syndrome, hyperinflammation, and coagulation disorder. The hematopoietic system plays a critical role in the observed hyperinflammation, particularly in severely ill patients. Using peripheral blood cells (PBCs) for gene expression analysis is valuable to evaluate disease-associated and drug-response related genes. In this study, we aimed to explore the gene expression profile of PBCs in patients with COVID‐19. Material & methods. Whole blood samples were collected from 19 patients with acute COVID‐19 infection and 20 healthy volunteers. The gene expression of PBCs was determined by RT-qPCR. Results. We investigated the expression of cytokines, chemokines, interferon-stimulated pro-oxidation, and coagulation genes in PBCs of the infected and healthy samples. Up-regulated expression of some genes was found out in the blood of COVID‐19-infected patients compared to the healthy sample. Conclusions: We have identified some genes in whole blood that classifies COVID‐19-infected and healthy patients with good accuracy. These results suggested that the expression of cytokines, coagulation, and interferon-stimulated genes in PBCs can be used for early detection of hyperinflammation, coagulation disorders, and evaluation of efficiency treatment of this disease.

Highlights

Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 is the etiologic agent for COVID-19, a disease from which over 1180,000 persons have died in the past 10 months
The gene expression of peripheral blood cells (PBCs) was determined by RT-qPCR
We investigated the expression of cytokines, chemokines, interferon-stimulated, pro-oxidation, and coagulation genes in PBCs of the infected and healthy samples

Summary

Introduction

Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 is the etiologic agent for COVID-19, a disease from which over 1180,000 persons have died in the past 10 months. Patients with COVID19 have a higher risk of developing blood clots (thrombosis) mainly in their lungs which is associated with higher death. In ~70% of COVID-19 patients, who died had disseminated intravascular coagulation. Endothelium plays a key role in the pathogenesis of coagulation disorders in infectious diseases and is important for the initiation and regulation of haemostatic. Using peripheral blood cells (PBCs) for gene expression analysis is valuable to evaluate disease-associated and drug-response related genes. Detection of inflammation and coagulation markers can indicate the onset of a cytokine storm, coagulation disorder and assist clinicians with timely interventions. The aim of our study was to explore the gene expression profile of PBCs in patients with COVID‐19 and to find out genetic markers that indicate the onset of a cytokine storm, coagulation disorder

Results and discussion

Data interpretation

Conclusions