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Updated: Oct 17, 2025
Bead Based Multiplex Assay for Analysis of Tear Cytokine Profiles
Published on: October 13, 2017
Transcriptomic analysis revealed increased expression of genes involved in keratinization in the tears of COVID-19
Leonardo Mastropasqua1, Lisa Toto1, Luigi Chiricosta2
1Ophthalmic Clinic, Department of Medicine and Science of Ageing, University "G. d'Annunzio" of Chieti-Pescara, Via dei Vestini, 31, 66100, Chieti, Italy.
Abstract:
Recent studies have focused their attention on conjunctivitis as one of the symptoms of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Therefore, tear samples were taken from COVID-19 patients and the presence of SARS-CoV-2 was evidenced using Real Time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. The main aim of this study was to analyze mRNA expression in the tears of patients with COVID-19 compared with healthy subjects using Next Generation Sequencing (NGS). The functional evaluation of the transcriptome highlighted 25 genes that differ statistically between healthy individuals and patients affected by COVID-19. In particular, the NGS analysis identified the presence of several genes involved in B cell signaling and keratinization. In particular, the genes involved in B cell signaling were downregulated in the tears of COVID-19 patients, while those involved in keratinization were upregulated. The results indicated that SARS-CoV-2 may induce a process of ocular keratinization and a defective B cell response.
