High Expression of HERV-K (HML-2) Might Stimulate Interferon in COVID-19 Patients.

Abstract

Background. Interferon is a marker of host antiviral immunity, which is disordered in COVID-19 patients. ERV can affect the secretion of interferon through the cGAS-STING pathway. In this study, we explored whether IFN-I and HERV-K (HML-2) were activated in COVID-19 patients and whether there was an interaction between them. Methods. We collected blood samples from COVID-19 patients and healthy controls. We first detected the expression of HERV-K (HML-2) gag, env, and pol genes and IFN-I-related genes between patients and healthy people by qPCR, synchronously detected VERO cells infected with SARS-CoV-2. Then, the chromosome distributions of highly expressed HERV-K (HML-2) gag, env, and pol genes were mapped by the next-generation sequencing results, and GO analysis was performed on the related genes. Results. We found that the HERV-K (HML-2) gag, env, and pol genes were highly expressed in COVID-19 patients and VERO cells infected with SARS-CoV-2. The interferon-related genes IFNB1, ISG15, and IFIT1 were also activated in COVID-19 patients, and GO analysis showed that HERV-K (HML-2) can regulate the secretion of interferon. Conclusions. The high expression of HERV-K (HML-2) might activate the increase of interferon in COVID-19 patients, proving that HERV-K does not only play a negative role in the human body.

• Authors: Yaolin Guo, Caiqin Yang, Yongjian Liu, Tianyi Li, Hanping Li, Jingwan Han, Lei Jia, Xiaolin Wang, Bohan Zhang, Jingyun Li, Lin Li
• Journal: Viruses (Viruses) Vol. 14 Issue 5 (05 07 2022) ISSN: 1999-4915 [Electronic] Switzerland
• PMID: 35632738 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Antiviral Agents
• Interferons

Topics

• Animals
• Antiviral Agents
• COVID-19 (virology)
• Chlorocebus aethiops
• Endogenous Retroviruses (genetics)
• Genes, Viral
• Humans
• Interferons (genetics)
• SARS-CoV-2
• Vero Cells