COVID-19 genetic risk variants are associated with expression of multiple genes in diverse immune cell types

Schmiedel, Benjamin J, Chandra, Vivek, Rocha, Job, Gonzalez-Colin, Cristian, Bhattacharyya, Sourya, Madrigal, Ariel, Ottensmeier, Christian H ORCID: 0000-0003-3619-1657, Ay, Ferhat and Vijayanand, Pandurangan (2021) COVID-19 genetic risk variants are associated with expression of multiple genes in diverse immune cell types. NATURE COMMUNICATIONS, 12 (1). 6760-.

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-26888-3

Abstract

Common genetic polymorphisms associated with COVID-19 illness can be utilized for discovering molecular pathways and cell types driving disease pathogenesis. Given the importance of immune cells in the pathogenesis of COVID-19 illness, here we assessed the effects of COVID-19-risk variants on gene expression in a wide range of immune cell types. Transcriptome-wide association study and colocalization analysis revealed putative causal genes and the specific immune cell types where gene expression is most influenced by COVID-19-risk variants. Notable examples include OAS1 in non-classical monocytes, DTX1 in B cells, IL10RB in NK cells, CXCR6 in follicular helper T cells, CCR9 in regulatory T cells and ARL17A in T<sub>H</sub>2 cells. By analysis of transposase accessible chromatin and H3K27ac-based chromatin-interaction maps of immune cell types, we prioritized potentially functional COVID-19-risk variants. Our study highlights the potential of COVID-19 genetic risk variants to impact the function of diverse immune cell types and influence severe disease manifestations.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer, Humans, Genetic Predisposition to Disease, Risk Factors, Receptors, CCR, Genome-Wide Association Study, COVID-19
Divisions:	Faculty of Health and Life Sciences Faculty of Health and Life Sciences > Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology
Depositing User:	Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited:	20 Dec 2021 08:09
Last Modified:	18 Jan 2023 21:18
DOI:	10.1038/s41467-021-26888-3
Related URLs:	Author Publisher
URI:	https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3145649