Transcriptomic analyses suggest that mucopolysaccharidosis patients may be less susceptible to COVID-19

Abstract

We used transcriptomic (RNA-seq) analyses to determine whether patients suffering from all types and subtypes of mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS), a severe inherited metabolic disease, may be more susceptible to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The expression levels of genes encoding proteins potentially involved in SARS-CoV-2 development were estimated in MPS cell lines. Four genes (GTF2F2, RAB18, TMEM97, PDE4DIP) coding for proteins potentially facilitating virus development were down-regulated, while two genes (FBN1, MFGE8), the products of which potentially interfere with virus propagation, were up-regulated in most MPS types. Although narrowing of respiratory tract and occurrence of thick mucus, characteristic of MPS, are risk factors for COVID-19, transcriptomic analyses suggest that MPS cells might be less, rather than more, susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection.