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Interferon-Induced Transmembrane Protein-3 Rs12252-G Variant Increases COVID-19 Mortality Potential in Egyptian

Sara M Elessawy1, Abeer Shehab1, Dina A Soliman1

  • 1Department of Clinical Pathology, Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.

Viral Immunology
|May 8, 2024
PubMed

Insights

The interferon-induced transmembrane protein-3 (IFITM3) rs12252 G allele variant is linked to increased COVID-19 mortality. This study found no significant association with disease severity or IL-6 levels in Egyptian patients.

Area of Science:

  • Genetics and Molecular Biology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Immunology

Background:

  • Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) poses a global health threat.
  • Interferon-induced transmembrane protein-3 (IFITM3) gene variants may influence susceptibility to severe viral infections.
  • The IFITM3 rs12252 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) has been implicated in viral disease outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between the IFITM3 rs12252A>G SNP and COVID-19 severity and mortality in an Egyptian cohort.
  • To explore the relationship between this SNP, serum interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels, and intensive care unit (ICU) admission in COVID-19 patients.

Main Methods:

  • Cross-sectional study involving 100 Egyptian COVID-19 patients.
  • Genotyping of the IFITM3 rs12252 SNP using real-time polymerase chain reaction.
  • Quantification of serum IL-6 levels via ELISA.

Main Results:

  • The IFITM3 rs12252 A allele was predominant (92.5%), with the G allele present in 7.5%.
  • No significant association was found between the IFITM3 rs12252 SNP and COVID-19 severity, ICU admission, or IL-6 levels.
  • A significant association was observed between the G allele and increased COVID-19 mortality (p=0.024), with a higher frequency in deceased patients (24.2%) compared to cured patients (8.5%).

Conclusions:

  • The G allele variant of IFITM3 rs12252 is significantly associated with higher mortality in COVID-19 patients.
  • The IFITM3 rs12252 polymorphism was not significantly linked to disease severity, ICU admission, or IL-6 levels in this cohort.

Keywords:
COVID-19Egyptinterferon-induced transmembrane proteinmorbiditymortality

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