INFECTION CONTROL IN COVID-19 PATIENTS BASED ON POLYMORPHISMS OF TMPRSS2 (rs12329760), FGB (rs1800790), AND NOS3 (rs2070744) GENES

Abstract

Objective of this study is to investigate the potential of anti-infective protection in patients with COVID-19 by analyzing the absolute and relative number of the main populations of immunocompetent peripheral blood cells depending on the polymorphism of the genes of transmembrane serine protease 2 (TMPRSS2, rs12329760), fibrinogen beta (FGB, rs1800790) and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (NOS3, T-786C, rs2070744). Materials and methods. A total of 204 patients with mild, moderate, and severe COVID-19-associated pneumonia were included in the single-center study. Among the patients were 51.97% (106) women and 48.03% (98) men. Among the patients, there were 51.97% (106) women and 48.03% (98) men, with an average age of 55.93±8.75 years. Anti-infective protection was assessed based on an extended complete blood count (CBC) with the calculation of the main populations of immunocompetent cells. The polymorphism of the TMPRSS2 (rs12329760), FGB (rs1800790) and NOS3 (rs2070744) genes was investigated by real-time polymerase chain reaction (Real Time PCR). Results. There were no differences in the absolute and relative number of most populations of immunocompetent peripheral blood cells between the genotypes of the TMPRSS2 (rs12329760) gene. The absolute and relative number of immunocompetent peripheral blood cell populations between the genotypes of the FGB (rs1800790) gene also did not differ significantly. However, in AA genotype carriers, there was a tendency to decrease the number of neutrophilic granulocytes due to mature segmented nucleated forms against the background of an increase in eosinophilic granulocytes by 27.27% (p=0, 038) and 55.55% (p=0.007) and agranulocytes due to lymphocyte sprouting and monocytes by 8.87-20.09% that implies a more severe course of the disease and a stronger stress of non-specific immunity than in G-allele holders. Conclusions. Inflammatory changes in the complete blood count of the main populations of immunocompetent cells in patients with COVID-19 do not show a consistent dependence on the genotypes of the TMPRSS2 (rs12329760) and NOS3 (rs2070744) genes. However, the presence of the AA genotype of the FGB gene (rs1800790) in patients with COVID-19 is associated with a more severe course of the disease and increased stress on the monocyte-macrophage system.