Evaluation of lncRNA EGOT and ISG۱۵ expression in SARSCoV-۲ infection

Background and Aim : The recent coronavirus disease ۲۰۱۹ (COVID-۱۹) pandemic, caused bysevere acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus ۲ (SARS-CoV-۲), activates antiviral immuneresponses and uncontrolled inflammatory reactions. Recent studies have demonstrated that longnoncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) which are a class of non-coding RNAs with more than ۲۰۰nucleotides in length, have various biological functions and participate in the regulation ofimmunity signaling pathways in viral infections. Several investigations have indicated the lncRNAEosinophil Granule Ontogeny Transcript (EGOT) levels can be up-regulated in SARS-CoV-۲infection. The NF-κB pathway is EGOT inducer and therefore, EGOT takes part as a negativeregulator in the type I interferon response. On the other hand, the interferon I immunity responseand ISG۱۵ expression level can be increased by EGOT depletion. The same pattern is alsoobserved in other viral infections, such as HCV chronic infection. This present survey aimed toassess the blood levels of EGOT and ISG۱۵ lncRNAs in COVID-۱۹ patients in comparison withhealthy controls.Methods : In this case-control study, blood samples were collected from ۱۴ COVID-۱۹ patientsin comparison with ۱۴ healthy controls who were enrolled at Taleghani Hospital, Shahid BeheshtiUniversity of Medical Science. Total RNA was isolated by RiboEX™ total RNA extractionsolution (GeneAll, Seoul, South Korea). After cDNA synthesis, quantitative real-time PCR wasused to detect levels of EGOT and ISG۱۵. Expression levels were assessed using the GraphPadPrism software through the ۲-ΔΔCt method.Results : The result indicates that the gene expression level of EGOT in SARS-CoV-۲ infectedpatients is up-regulated compared to the control group (Fold change=۱۱.۰۷۳), but the oppositeresult has been observed for ISG۱۵ expression level and it was down-regulated (Foldchange=۰.۲۲۱۷). A significant difference was found in blood levels of EGOT and ISG۱۵ betweenpatients and control group (P values ۰.۰۳۸۳ and ۰.۰۰۵۳, respectively).Conclusion : According to these results, there is a correlation between EGOT and ISG۱۵expression levels and SARS-CoV-۲ infection. Also, increased level of EGOT acts as a negativeregulator of interferon I immunity response by blocking the expression of ISG۱۵ and other ISGswhich can lead to promoting viral replication. It seems EGOT lncRNA can be a useful keytherapeutic target for the treatment of COVID-۱۹ patients.

کلیدواژه ها:

COVID-۱۹ ، SARS-CoV-۲ ، lncRNA ، interferon I