Significance of Catecholamine Biosynthetic/Metabolic Pathway in SARS-CoV-2 Infection and COVID-19 Severity.

ABSTRACT: The SARS-CoV-2 infection was previously associated with the expression of the dopamine biosynthetic enzyme L-Dopa decarboxylase (DDC). Specifically, a negative correlation was detected between DDC mRNA and SARS-CoV-2 RNA levels in in vitro infected epithelial cells and the nasopharyngeal tissue of COVID-19 patients with mild/no symptoms. However, DDC, among other genes related to both DDC expression and SARS-CoV-2-infection (ACE2, dACE2, EPO), was upregulated in these patients, possibly attributed to an orchestrated host antiviral response. Herein, by comparing DDC expression in the nasopharyngeal swab samples of severe/critical to mild COVID-19 cases, we showed a 20 mean-fold reduction, highlighting the importance of the expression of this gene as

SUBMITTER: Mpekoulis G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9818320 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature