Interleukin-1 Beta rs16944 and rs1143634 and Interleukin-6 Receptor rs12083537 Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms as Potential Predictors of COVID-19 Severity

Inas A Ahmed; Taghrid G Kharboush; Hiba S Al-Amodi; Hala F M Kamel; Ehab Darwish; Asmaa Mosbeh; Hossam A Galbt; Amal M Abdel-Kareim; Shimaa Abdelsattar

doi:10.3390/pathogens13100915

Interleukin-1 Beta rs16944 and rs1143634 and Interleukin-6 Receptor rs12083537 Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms as Potential Predictors of COVID-19 Severity

Pathogens. 2024 Oct 21;13(10):915. doi: 10.3390/pathogens13100915.

Authors

Inas A Ahmed^{1

2

3}, Taghrid G Kharboush⁴, Hiba S Al-Amodi⁵, Hala F M Kamel^{5

6}, Ehab Darwish^{7

8}, Asmaa Mosbeh⁹, Hossam A Galbt¹⁰, Amal M Abdel-Kareim¹¹, Shimaa Abdelsattar¹²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Medical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Benha University, Benha 13518, Egypt.
² Central Laboratory for Research, Faculty of Medicine, Benha University, Benha 13518, Egypt.
³ Department of Medical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Benha National University, El-Obour 11828, Egypt.
⁴ Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Benha University, Benha 13518, Egypt.
⁵ Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Umm Al-Qura University, P.O. Box 715, Makkah 21955, Saudi Arabia.
⁶ Department of Medical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo 11566, Egypt.
⁷ Department of Tropical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig 44511, Egypt.
⁸ Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, King Faisal University, AI-Ahsa 31982, Saudi Arabia.
⁹ Department of Pathology, National Liver Institute, Menoufia University, Menoufia 32511, Egypt.
¹⁰ Department of Clinical Pathology, National Liver Institute, Menoufia University, Menoufia 32511, Egypt.
¹¹ Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Benha University, Benha 13518, Egypt.
¹² Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Molecular Diagnostics, National Liver Institute, Menoufia University, Menoufia 32511, Egypt.

Abstract

Host genetic variation has been recognized as a key predictor of diverse clinical sequelae among severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)-infected patients. Insights into the link between the Interleukin-6 receptor (IL-6R) and Interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) genetic variation and severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are crucial for developing new predictors and therapeutic targets. We aimed to investigate the association of IL-6R rs12083537, IL-1β rs16944, and IL-1β rs1143634 SNPs with the severity of COVID-19. Our study was conducted on 300 COVID-19-negative individuals (control group) and 299 COVID-19-positive cases, classified into mild, moderate, and severe subgroups. Analyses of IL-1β (rs16944, rs1143634) and IL-6R (rs12083537) SNPs' genotypes were performed using qPCR genotyping assays. The IL-1β (rs16944) CC genotype and IL-6R (rs12083537) GG genotype were substantially related to COVID-19 severity, which was also associated with comorbidities and some laboratory parameters (p < 0.001). The IL-1β (rs1143634) TT genotype was found to be protective. Likewise, the IL-1β (rs16944) CC genotype was associated with increased mortality. IL-1β rs16944 and IL-6R rs12083537 SNPs are promising potential predictors of SARS-CoV-2 disease severity. Meanwhile, the rs1143634 SNP T allele was protective against severity and mortality risk.

Keywords: COVID-19; SNPs; genotype; interleukin-1 beta; interleukin-6 receptor.

Grants and funding

This research received no external funding.