Functional Roles and Targets of COVID-19 in Blood Cells Determined Using Bioinformatics Analyses

Area of Science:

• Immunology
• Genomics
• Bioinformatics

Background:

• Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by SARS-CoV-2, presents a significant global health challenge with high mortality.
• Understanding the molecular mechanisms in affected blood cells is crucial for developing effective treatments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify the functions and associated targets of SARS-CoV-2 in circulating monocytes and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from COVID-19 patients.
• To analyze differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in blood cells to uncover molecular pathways involved in COVID-19 pathogenesis.

Main Methods:

• Utilized Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) datasets (GSE164805, GSE180594) to identify DEGs.
• Performed Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analyses using the DAVID database.
• Compared data with single-cell atlas of peripheral immune response in COVID-19 patients.

Main Results:

• GO analysis revealed DEGs involved in cell migration, proliferation, and MAPK signaling.
• KEGG analysis highlighted enrichment in peroxisome, melanogenesis, and actin regulation pathways.
• Interferon-associated genes were significantly upregulated in acute COVID-19 PBMCs and monocytes (CD14+, CD16+).

Conclusions:

• Comprehensive bioinformatics analysis of blood cell gene expression provides insights into COVID-19.
• Identified potential functions and targets of DEGs in blood cells of COVID-19 patients.
• The findings offer potential targets for novel COVID-19 therapies.