AGE IS ASSOCIATED WITH INCREASED EXPRESSION OF PATTERN RECOGNITION RECEPTOR GENES AND ACE2, THE RECEPTOR FOR SARS-COV-2: IMPLICATIONS FOR THE EPIDEMIOLOGY OF COVID-19 DISEASE

Stephen W. Bickler; David M. Cauvi; Kathleen M Fisch; James M. Prieto; Alicia G. Sykes; Hariharan Thangarajah; David A. Lazar; Romeo C. Ignacio; Dale R. Gerstmann; Allen Frederic Ryan; Philip E. Bickler; Antonio De Maio

doi:10.1186/s12920-021-00970-7

Molecular BiologyBMC Medical GenomicsMay 24, 2021

Peer-reviewed journal article

AGE IS ASSOCIATED WITH INCREASED EXPRESSION OF PATTERN RECOGNITION RECEPTOR GENES AND ACE2, THE RECEPTOR FOR SARS-COV-2: IMPLICATIONS FOR THE EPIDEMIOLOGY OF COVID-19 DISEASE

Stephen W. Bickler iD, David M. Cauvi iD, Kathleen M Fisch iD, James M. Prieto iD, Alicia G. Sykes iD, Hariharan Thangarajah iD, David A. Lazar iD, Romeo C. Ignacio iD, Dale R. Gerstmann, Allen Frederic Ryan iD, Philip E. Bickler iD, Antonio De Maio iD

Abstract

Older aged adults and those with pre-existing conditions are at highest risk for severe COVID-19 associated outcomes. Using a large dataset of genome-wide RNA-seq profiles derived from human dermal fibroblasts (GSE113957) we investigated whether age affects the expression of pattern recognition receptor (PRR) genes and ACE2, the receptor for SARS-CoV-2. Older age was associated with increased expression of PRR genes, ACE2 and four genes that encode proteins that have been shown to interact with SAR2-CoV-2 proteins. Assessment of PRR expression might provide a strategy for stratifying the risk of severe COVID-19 disease at both the individual and population levels.

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