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Open Access 01-12-2023 | SARS-CoV-2 | Research

Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) polymorphisms and susceptibility of severe SARS-CoV-2 in a subset of Pakistani population

Authors: Santosh Kumar Sidhwani, Talat Mirza, Ambrina Khatoon, Fouzia Shaikh, Rizma Khan, Omer Ahmed Shaikh, Abdulqadir J. Nashwan

Published in: Virology Journal | Issue 1/2023

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Abstract

Science is digging for the varied presentation of COVID-19 patients exposed to the same risk factors, and medical conditions may be influenced by the presence of polymorphic genetic variants. This study investigated the link between ACE2 gene polymorphisms and the severity of SARS-CoV-2. This cross-sectional study recruited COVID-19 PCR-positive patients by consecutive sampling from Ziauddin Hospital from April to September 2020. DNA was extracted from whole blood, followed by gene amplification and Sanger’s sequencing. Most of the patients, 77: 53.8%, were serious. Males were higher (80; 55.9%) with age more than 50 years (106: 74.1%). We found 22 ACE2 SNPs. rs2285666 SNP was most prevalent with 49.2% CC, 45.2% TT, 4.8% CT heterozygosity, and 0.8% AA genotypes. Variants with multiple genotypes were also insignificantly associated with the severity of COVID-19 in the analysis of the dominant model. Only rs2285666 had a significant statistical link with gender (p-value 0.034, OR; 1.438, CI; 1.028–2.011) while rs768883316 with age groups (p-value 0.026, OR; 1.953, CI; 1.085–3.514). Haplotypes ATC of three polymorphisms (rs560997634, rs201159862, and rs751170930) commonly found in 120 (69.77%) and TTTGTAGTTAGTA haplotype consisting of 13 polymorphisms (rs756737634, rs146991645, rs1601703288, rs1927830489, rs1927831624, rs764947941, rs752242172, rs73195521, rs781378335, rs756597390, rs780478736, rs148006212, rs768583671) in 112 (90.32%) had statistically significant association with the severity having p = value 0.029 and 0.001 respectively. Males of old age and diabetics are found to have more severe COVID-19 infection in the current study. We also found that common ACE2 polymorphism rs2285666 influences the susceptibility of acquiring the severe SARS-CoV-2 infection.
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Metadata
Title
Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) polymorphisms and susceptibility of severe SARS-CoV-2 in a subset of Pakistani population
Authors
Santosh Kumar Sidhwani
Talat Mirza
Ambrina Khatoon
Fouzia Shaikh
Rizma Khan
Omer Ahmed Shaikh
Abdulqadir J. Nashwan
Publication date
01-12-2023
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Virology Journal / Issue 1/2023
Electronic ISSN: 1743-422X
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12985-023-02091-2

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