CYP19A1 mediated sex hormone metabolism promotes severe disease outcome in SARS-CoV-2 infected male golden hamsters

ABSTRACT: Male sex belongs to one of the risk factors for severe COVID-19 outcome. However, underlying mechanisms that could affect sex dependent disease outcome are yet unknown. Here, we identified the CYP19A1 gene encoding for the testosterone-to-estradiol metabolizing enzyme CYP19A1 (alias aromatase) as a host factor that contributes to worsened disease outcome in male hamsters. SARS-CoV-2 infection increases CYP19A1 transcription most prominently in the lungs of male animals, which correlates with reduced circulating testosterone and increased circulating estradiol levels. Dysregulated sex hormone levels in male golden hamsters are associated with reduced lung function compared to females. Treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infected hamsters with letrozole, a clinically approved CYP19A1 inhibitor, supported recovery of dysregulated sex hormone levels and was associated with improved lung function in male but not female animals compared to placebo controls. Whole-lung transcriptome analysis in letrozole treated versus placebo treated control groups revealed key pathways associated with improved lung health in males. To seek translation of these findings into humans, we analyzed autopsy-derived lung samples of COVID-19 cases from three independent study sites. We found that CYP19A1 transcription and protein expression is strongly elevated in the lungs of men who died with COVID-19 as compared to females or non-COVID-19 controls. Our findings highlight the role of the lung as a yet unrecognized but critical organ involved in metabolic responses against respiratory virus infections. Furthermore, inhibition of CYP19A1 by the clinically approved drug letrozole may pose a new therapeutic strategy to reduce poor long-term COVID-19 outcome.

INSTRUMENT(S): NextSeq 550

ORGANISM(S): Mesocricetus auratus

SUBMITTER: Daniel Wibberg 

PROVIDER: E-MTAB-11162 | biostudies-arrayexpress |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-arrayexpress