Investigation of Polymorphisms of ACEII Gene in People With Coronavirus With Severe and Mild Symptoms or Asymptomatic

Introduction: Angiotensin-converting enzyme ۲ (ACE۲) is the central receptor of coronavirus disease ۲۰۱۹ (COVID-۱۹) in host cells. Genetic polymorphisms in the ACE۲ gene may promote cardiovascular disease and systemic inflammatory injury in a patient affected by COVID-۱۹. Thus, the genetic background may account for the substantial inter-individual diversity in illness susceptibility or severity. Our study was conducted to find a significant relationship between ACE۲ rs۴۶۴۶۱۴۲ and rs۲۲۸۵۶۶۶ polymorphisms and susceptibility to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus ۲ (SARS-CoV-۲). Methods: In this study, we randomly selected ۲۳۰ samples, including ۷۶ patients with severe clinical symptoms and ۱۵۴ patients with mild clinical symptoms (the positive case of COVID-۱۹ was confirmed by real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction [RTPCR] assay). Then, we performed DNA extraction and investigated the polymorphisms of rs۲۲۸۵۶۶۶ and rs۴۶۴۶۱۴۲ by RFLP-PCR method with TaqI and Alu۱ restriction enzymes. Results: The study population included ۱۰۷ men and ۱۲۳ women, and the mean (±SD) age of the participants was ۴۲.۶۶±۱۰.۲. First, the levels of IgM and IgG were examined, and a significant association was observed in the level of IgM between the two groups of COVID-۱۹ patients with mild and severe symptoms, as opposed to IgG. Meanwhile, no significant difference was observed between ACE۲ rs۴۶۴۶۱۴۲ and rs۲۲۸۵۶۶۶ polymorphisms and the severity of COVID-۱۹. Conclusion: To better understand the genetic variations in people’s susceptibility to COVID-۱۹, this study was designed to evaluate the association between various ACE۲ polymorphisms and the infection risk of SARS-CoV-۲. However, no statistical difference was discovered.

Keywords:

COVID-۱۹ , ACE۲ polymorphism , SNPs , rs۲۲۸۵۶۶۶ polymorphism , rs۴۶۴۶۱۴۲ polymorphism