A strong association between the VDR gene markers and SARS-CoV-2 variants
Begimai Mamurova, Gokce Akan, Gulten Tuncel, Evren Mogol, Emine Unal Evren, Hakan Evren, Huseyin Kaya Suer, Tamer Sanlidag, Mahmut Cerkez Ergoren
doi:10.21203/rs.3.rs-1806260/v1
Introduction A COVID-19 disease, caused by the SARS-CoV-2, created signi cant concern since December 2019 worldwide. The virus is known to be highly transmissible. Heterogenic clinical features even vary more among SARS-CoV-2 variants from asymptomatic forms to severe symptoms. Previous studies revealed an association between COVID-19 and vitamin D de ciency resulting from its low levels in COVID-19 patients. To our knowledge, there is no scienti c investigation that evaluates the direct association between SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern and VDR gene markers in Cyprus. Thus, the present study aimed to identify the putative impact of VDR gene polymorphisms on SARS-CoV-2 infection among different variants.
Methods The nasopharyngeal swabs were taken from a total number of 600 patients who were admitted to Near East University Hospital COVID-19 PCR Diagnosis Laboratory for routine SARS-CoV-2 RT-qPCR test. The RT-qPCR negative resulting samples were taken as control samples (n = 300). On the other hand, the case group consisted of patients who were SARS-CoV-2 RT-qPCR positive, infected with either SARS-CoV-2 Alpha (n = 100), Delta (n = 100), or Omicron (n = 100) variants. Two VDR gene polymorphisms, TaqI-rs731236 T > C and FokI-rs10735810 C > T, were genotyped by PCR-RFLP.
Results The mean age of the COVID-19 patient's ± SD was 46.12 ± 12.36 and 45.25 ± 12.71 years old for the control group (p > 0.05). The gender distribution of the patient group was 48.3% female and 51.7% male and for the control group 43% female and 57% male (p > 0.05). Signi cant differences were observed in genotype frequencies of FokI and TaqI variants between SARS-CoV-2 patients compared to the control group (p < 0.005). Furthermore, the risk alleles, FokI T allele and TaqI C, were found to be statistically signi cant (OR = 1.80, 95% CI = 1.42-2.29, OR = 1.62, 95% CI = 1.27-2.05, respectively) in COVID-19 patients. The highest number of patients with wild-type genotype was found in the control group, which is 52.9% compared with 17.5% in the case group. Moreover, most of the COVID-19 patients had heterozygous/homozygous genotypes, reaching 82.5%, while 47.1% of the control group patients had heterozygous/homozygous genotypes.
Conclusion Our results suggested that patients with FokI and TaqI polymorphisms might tend to be more susceptible to getting infected with the SARS-CoV-2. Overall, ndings from this study provided evidence regarding vitamin D supplements recommendation in individuals with vitamin D de ciency/insu ciency in the perior post-COVID-19 pandemic.
Declarations Ethical approval All procedures performed in this study were in accordance with the ethical standards the institutional research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards (Approval number: YDU/202299-1451).
Con of Interest The authors do not have any con ict of interest to declare.
Supplementary Files This is a list of supplementary les associated with this preprint. Click to download. Tables.docx
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'abstract': '<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title>\n'
' <jats:p>IntroductionA COVID-19 disease, caused by the SARS-CoV-2, created significant '
'concern since December 2019 worldwide. The virus is known to be highly transmissible. '
'Heterogenic clinical features even vary more among SARS-CoV-2 variants from asymptomatic '
'forms to severe symptoms. Previous studies revealed an association between COVID-19 and '
'vitamin D deficiency resulting from its low levels in COVID-19 patients. To our knowledge, '
'there is no scientific investigation that evaluates the direct association between SARS-CoV-2 '
'variants of concern and <jats:italic>VDR</jats:italic> gene markers in Cyprus. Thus, the '
'present study aimed to identify the putative impact of <jats:italic>VDR</jats:italic> gene '
'polymorphisms on SARS-CoV-2 infection among different variants.MethodsThe nasopharyngeal '
'swabs were taken from a total number of 600 patients who were admitted to Near East '
'University Hospital COVID-19 PCR Diagnosis Laboratory for routine SARS-CoV-2 RT-qPCR test. '
'The RT-qPCR negative resulting samples were taken as control samples (n\u2009=\u2009300). On '
'the other hand, the case group consisted of patients who were SARS-CoV-2 RT-qPCR positive, '
'infected with either SARS-CoV-2 Alpha (n\u2009=\u2009100), Delta (n\u2009=\u2009100), or '
'Omicron (n\u2009=\u2009100) variants. Two <jats:italic>VDR</jats:italic> gene polymorphisms, '
'<jats:italic>Taq</jats:italic>I-rs731236 T\u2009>\u2009C and '
'<jats:italic>Fok</jats:italic>I-rs10735810 C\u2009>\u2009T, were genotyped by '
'PCR-RFLP.ResultsThe mean age of the COVID-19 patient’s\u2009±\u2009SD was 46.12\u2009±\u2009'
'12.36 and 45.25\u2009±\u200912.71 years old for the control group (p\u2009>\u20090.05). '
'The gender distribution of the patient group was 48.3% female and 51.7% male and for the '
'control group 43% female and 57% male (p\u2009>\u20090.05). Significant differences were '
'observed in genotype frequencies of <jats:italic>FokI</jats:italic> and '
'<jats:italic>TaqI</jats:italic> variants between SARS-CoV-2 patients compared to the control '
'group (p\u2009<\u20090.005). Furthermore, the risk alleles, '
'<jats:italic>FokI</jats:italic> T allele and <jats:italic>TaqI</jats:italic> C, were found to '
'be statistically significant (OR\u2009=\u20091.80, 95% CI\u2009=\u20091.42–2.29, OR\u2009'
'=\u20091.62, 95% CI\u2009=\u20091.27–2.05, respectively) in COVID-19 patients. The highest '
'number of patients with wild-type genotype was found in the control group, which is 52.9% '
'compared with 17.5% in the case group. Moreover, most of the COVID-19 patients had '
'heterozygous/homozygous genotypes, reaching 82.5%, while 47.1% of the control group patients '
'had heterozygous/homozygous genotypes.ConclusionOur results suggested that patients with '
'<jats:italic>FokI</jats:italic> and <jats:italic>TaqI</jats:italic> polymorphisms might tend '
'to be more susceptible to getting infected with the SARS-CoV-2. Overall, findings from this '
'study provided evidence regarding vitamin D supplements recommendation in individuals with '
'vitamin D deficiency/insufficiency in the peri- or post-COVID-19 pandemic.</jats:p>',
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