CCR5Delta32 deletion as a protective factor in Czech first-wave COVID-19 subjects

Physiol Res. 2021 Mar 17;70(1):111-115. doi: 10.33549/physiolres.934647.

Abstract

Infection by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus that causes coronavirus disease (COVID-19), has spread widely around the globe. Significant inter-individual differences have been observed during the course of the infection, which suggests that genetic susceptibility may be a contributing factor. CC chemokine receptor 5 (CCR5), which acts as a co-receptor for the entry of HIV-1 into cells, is promising candidate whose can have an influence on SARS-CoV-2 infection. A genetic mutation known as CCR5Delta32, consisting of a 32-nucleotide deletion, encodes a truncated protein that protects homozygous carriers of the deletion from HIV-1 infection. Similarly, inhibition of CCR5 seems to be protective against COVID-19. In our study, we successfully genotyped 416 first-wave SARS-CoV-2-positive infection survivors (164 asymptomatic and 252 symptomatic) for CCR5?32, comparing them with a population based sample of 2,404 subjects. We found the highest number (P=0.03) of CCR5Delta32 carriers in SARS-CoV-2-positive/COVID-19-asympto-matic subjects (23.8 %) and the lowest number in SARS-CoV-2-positive/COVID-19-symptomatic patients (16.7 %), with frequency in the control population in the middle (21.0 %). We conclude that the CCR5?32 I/D polymorphism may have the potential to predict the severity of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

MeSH terms

  • COVID-19 / diagnosis
  • COVID-19 / genetics*
  • COVID-19 / virology
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Czech Republic
  • Gene Frequency
  • Genetic Association Studies
  • Genetic Predisposition to Disease
  • Humans
  • Phenotype
  • Protective Factors
  • Receptors, CCR5 / genetics*
  • Risk Assessment
  • Risk Factors
  • Sequence Deletion*
  • Severity of Illness Index

Substances

  • CCR5 protein, human
  • Receptors, CCR5