The noncoding and coding transcriptional landscape of the peripheral immune response in patients with COVID-19.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND:COVID-19 is currently a global pandemic, but the response of human immune system to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection remains unclear. Noncoding RNAs serve as immune regulators and thus may play a critical role in disease progression. METHODS:We performed multi-transcriptome sequencing of both noncoding RNAs and mRNAs isolated from the red blood cell depleted whole blood of moderate and severe COVID-19 patients. The functions of noncoding RNAs were validated by analyses of the expression of downstream mRNAs. We further utilized the single-cell RNA-seq data of COVID-19 patients from Wilk et al. and Chua et al. to characterize noncoding RNA functions in different cell types. RESULTS:We defined four types of microRNAs with different expression tendencies that could serve as biomarkers for COVID-19 progress. We also identified miR-146a-5p, miR-21-5p, miR-142-3p, and miR-15b-5p as potential contributors to the disease pathogenesis, possibly serving as biomarkers of severe COVID-19 and as candidate therapeutic targets. In addition, the transcriptome profiles consistently suggested hyperactivation of the immune response, loss of T-cell function, and immune dysregulation in severe patients. CONCLUSIONS:Collectively, these findings provide a comprehensive view of the noncoding and coding transcriptional landscape of peripheral immune cells during COVID-19, furthering our understanding and offering novel insights into COVID-19 pathogenesis.

SUBMITTER: Tang H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7548099 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature