SARS-CoV-2 variants induce increased inflammatory gene expression but reduced interferon responses and heme synthesis as compared with wild type strains.

ABSTRACT: SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOC) have been associated with increased viral transmission and disease severity. We investigated the mechanisms of pathogenesis caused by variants using a host blood transcriptome profiling approach. We analysed transcriptional signatures of COVID-19 patients comparing those infected with wildtype (wt), alpha, delta or omicron strains seeking insights into infection in Asymptomatic cases.Comparison of transcriptional profiles of Symptomatic and Asymptomatic COVID-19 cases showed increased differentially regulated gene (DEGs) of inflammatory, apoptosis and blood coagulation pathways, with decreased T cell and Interferon stimulated genes (ISG) activation. Between SARS-CoV-2 strains, an increasing number of DEGs occurred in comparisons between wt and alpha (19

SUBMITTER: Merchant M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11519399 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature