Immunoglobulin genes and severity of COVID-19

AbstractThere is tremendous interindividual and interracial variability in the outcome of SARS-CoV-2 infection, suggesting the involvement of host genetic factors. Here, we investigated whether IgG allotypes GM ( γ marker) 3 and GM 17, genetic markers of IgG1, contributed to the severity of COVID-19. IgG1 plays a pivotal role in response against SARS-CoV-2 infection. We also investigated whether these GM alleles synergistically/epistatically withIGHG3 andFCGR2A alleles —which have been previously implicated in COVID-19—modulated the extent of COVID-19 severity. The study population consisted of 316 COVID-19 patients who needed treatment in the intensive care unit of Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias. All individuals were genotyped for GM 3/17,IGHG3 hinge length, andFCGR2A rs1801274 A/G polymorphisms. Among the 316 critical patients, there were 86 deaths. The risk of death among critical patients was significantly higher in subjects with GM 17 (IgG1) and short hinge length (IgG3). GM 17-carriers were at almost three-fold higher risk of death than non-carriers (p <  0.001; OR = 2.86, CI 1.58–5.16). Subjects with short hinge length of IgG3 had a two-fold higher risk of death than those with medium hinge length (p = 0.01; OR = 2.16, CI 1.19–3.90). GM 3/3 andIGHG3 (MM) genotypes were less frequent among death vs. survivors (9% vs 36%,p <  0.001) and associated with protective effect (OR = 0.18, 95% CI = 0.08–0.39). This is the ...
Source: Immunogenetics - Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Source Type: research