The Association Between Genetic Variants in ACE1and ACE2 Genes with Susceptibility to COVID-19 Infection

• Published in: Biochemical genetics 2024-12, Vol.62 (6), p.4679-4692
• Main Authors: Abbaszadeh, Hamid, Kabiri-Rad, Hamid, Mohammadi, Fariba, Zangoie, Soheila, Rajabi-Moghaddam, Mahdieh, Ghafari, Shokouh, Ziaee, Masood, Javanmard, Davod, Miri-Moghaddam, Ebrahim
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: ACE protein; ACE2; Adult; Aged; alleles; Angiotensin; Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2; Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 - genetics; Biochemistry; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Case-Control Studies; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; COVID-19 - genetics; COVID-19 infection; Female; Gene deletion; Gene polymorphism; Genes; Genetic diversity; Genetic Predisposition to Disease; Genetic variance; Genotype; Genotype & phenotype; Human Genetics; Humans; Male; Medical Microbiology; Middle Aged; mutation; Original Article; Pathogenesis; Peptidyl-dipeptidase A; Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A - genetics; Polymerase chain reaction; Polymorphism; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; Respiratory diseases; Risk factors; SARS-CoV-2; Severe acute respiratory syndrome; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; Susceptibility; Viral diseases; viruses; Zoology
• ISSN: 0006-2928; 1573-4927; 1573-4927
• DOI: 10.1007/s10528-024-10722-8

Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptors facilitate the entry of the causative virus severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‑CoV‑2) into target cells. Some ACE gene variants have been suggested to be involved in COVID-19 pathogenesis. So, the aim was to assess the association between ACE1 rs4646994 and ACE2 rs2285666 genes polymorphisms and the susceptibility and severity of COVID-19. This case-control study was conducted on 197 patients with COVID-19 and 197 healthy controls. ACE-1 insertion/deletion (I/D) (rs4646994) and ACE2 rs2285666 genes polymorphisms were determined by the amplification refractory mutation system- polymerase chain reaction (ARMS-PCR) technique. The DD genotype of ACE1 I/D polymorphism was associated with increased susceptibility to COVID-19 infection ( p  = 0.012), whereas the ID genotype of this polymorphism was associated with decreased susceptibility ( p  = 0.003) (significance level = 0.017). There was no significant association in allele and genotype distribution of ACE2 rs2285666 polymorphism between cases and controls. The ACE1 I/D polymorphism may be considered as a risk factor for COVID-19 susceptibility.