FURIN gene variants (rs6224/rs4702) as potential markers of death and cardiovascular traits in severe COVID-19.

Abstract

Furin is a protease that plays a key role in the infection cycle of SARS-CoV-2 by cleaving the viral proteins during the virus particle assembly. In addition, Furin regulates several physiological processes related to cardio-metabolic traits. DNA variants in the FURIN gene are candidates to regulate the risk of developing these traits as well as the susceptibility to severe COVID-19. We genotyped two functional FURIN variants (rs6224/rs4702) in 428 COVID-19 patients in the intensive care unit. The association with death (N = 106) and hypertension, diabetes, and hyperlipidaemia was statistically evaluated. The risk of death was associated with age, hypertension, and hypercholesterolemia. The two FURIN alleles linked to higher expression (rs6224 T and rs4702 A) were significantly increased in the death cases (odds ratio= 1.40 and 1.43). Homozygosis for the two high expression genotypes (rs6224 TT and rs4702 AA) and for the T-A haplotype was associated with an increased risk of hypercholesterolemia. In the multiple logistic regression both, hypercholesterolemia and the TT + AA genotype were significantly associated with death. In conclusion, besides its association with hypercholesterolemia, FURIN variants might be independent risk factors for the risk of death among COVID-19 patients.

• Authors: Eliecer Coto, Guillermo M Albaiceta, Laura Amado-Rodríguez, Marta García-Clemente, Elías Cuesta-Llavona, Daniel Vázquez-Coto, Belén Alonso, Sara Iglesias, Santiago Melón, Marta E Alvarez-Argüelles, José A Boga, Susana Rojo-Alba, Sergio Pérez-Oliveira, Victoria Alvarez, Juan Gómez
• Journal: Journal of medical virology (J Med Virol) Vol. 94 Issue 8 Pg. 3589-3595 (08 2022) ISSN: 1096-9071 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 35355278 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: © 2022 Wiley Periodicals LLC.

Chemical References

• Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus
• spike protein, SARS-CoV-2
• Furin

Topics

• COVID-19 (genetics)
• Furin (genetics, metabolism)
• Humans
• Hypercholesterolemia
• Hypertension
• SARS-CoV-2 (genetics)
• Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus