Polymorphism of tmprss2 (rs12329760) but not ace2 (rs4240157), tmprss11a (rs353163) and cd147 (rs8259) is associated with the severity of COVID-19 in the Ukrainian population

Abstract

Gene polymorphism, coding the host proteases, which are involved in the virus entry into the cells can influence the susceptibility to and mortality from coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19). Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), transmembrane serine 2 and serine 11A proteases (TMPRSS2, TMPRSS11A), and a cell surface cluster of differentiation 147 (CD147) might be a gene candidate that ex-erts such influence. The aim of this study was to investigate the associations between ace2, tmprss2, tmprss11a, and cd147 polymorphic variants and the severity of COVID-19 in the Ukrainian population. Methods: The study population consisted of the Ukrainian population with COVID-19: patients without oxygen therapy (n=62), with non-invasive (n=92) and invasive (n=35) oxygen therapy, as well as control subjects (n=92). Al-lelic polymorphisms of ace2 rs4240157, tmprss2 rs12329760, and tmprss11a rs353163 were determined by real-time PCR, and cd147 rs8259 polymorphism was detected by PCR with subsequent restrictase analysis. We compared investigated polymorphisms distribution with other populations by meta-analysis. Results: Our study is the first to obtain data about the distribution of investigated gene polymorphisms in the Ukrainian population: tmprss2 rs12329760 – CC 60.9%, CT 35.9%, TT 3.2%; tmprss11a rs353163 – CC 46.7%, CT 40.2%, TT 13.1%; ace2 rs4240157 – CC 7.6%, C 18.5%, CT 22.8%, TT 19.6%, T 31.5%; cd147 rs8259 – TT 60.9%, AT 32.6%, AA 6.5%. This distribution was similar to the Northern, Western and Southern European populations. There was a statistically significant difference in the frequency of tmprss2 polymorphic geno-types CC 57.1%, CT 28.6%, and TT 14.3% (P<0.05) in COVID-19 patients with invasive oxygen therapy in comparison with non-invasive oxygen therapy. This tmprss2 mutation occurs in the scavenger receptor cysteine-rich (SRCR) domain and might be important for protein-protein interaction in a calcium-depend-ent manner. Conclusions: Our study indicated the presence of an association between the tmprss2 rs12329760 polymorphism and the severity of COVID-19 in the Ukrainian population.