Epigenetic Targets and Pathways Linked to SARS-CoV-2 Infection and Pathology

Ali A Rabaan^{1

2

3}, Mohammed Aljeldah⁴, Basim R Al Shammari⁴, Roua A Alsubki⁵, Jawaher Alotaibi⁶, Yousef N Alhashem⁷, Neda A Alali⁸, Tarek Sulaiman⁹, Zainab Alsalem¹⁰, Huda A Bajunaid¹¹, Mohammed Garout¹², Heba A Alsaffar¹³, Souad A Almuthree¹⁴, Doha Hudhaiah¹⁵, Azhar M Alzaher¹⁶, Fatimah A Alshaikh¹⁷, Amer Alshengeti^{18

19}, Mustafa A Najim²⁰, Ramadan Abdelmoez Farahat²¹, Ranjan K Mohapatra²²

Affiliations

¹ Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory, Johns Hopkins Aramco Healthcare, Dhahran 31311, Saudi Arabia.
² College of Medicine, Alfaisal University, Riyadh 11533, Saudi Arabia.
³ Department of Public Health and Nutrition, The University of Haripur, Haripur 22610, Pakistan.
⁴ Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, University of Hafr Al Batin, Hafr Al Batin 39831, Saudi Arabia.
⁵ Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh 11362, Saudi Arabia.
⁶ Infectious Diseases Unit, Department of Medicine, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Riyadh 11564, Saudi Arabia.
⁷ Clinical Laboratory Science Department, Mohammed Al-Mana College for Medical Sciences, Dammam 34222, Saudi Arabia.
⁸ Pediatric Department, Security Force Hospital, Riyadh 13526, Saudi Arabia.
⁹ Infectious Diseases Section, Medical Specialties Department, King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh 12231, Saudi Arabia.
¹⁰ Department of Epidemic Diseases Research, Institute for Research and Medical Consultations (IRMC), Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam 31441, Saudi Arabia.
¹¹ Makkah Specialized Laboratory, Fakeeh Care Group, Hadda 25321, Saudi Arabia.
¹² Department of Community Medicine and Health Care for Pilgrims, Faculty of Medicine, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah 21955, Saudi Arabia.
¹³ Department of Azizia Primary Health Care, Ministry of Health, Dammam 32211, Saudi Arabia.
¹⁴ Department of Infectious Disease, King Abdullah Medical City, Makkah 43442, Saudi Arabia.
¹⁵ Microbiology Laboratory, King Fahad University Hospital, Al Khobar 34445, Saudi Arabia.
¹⁶ Improvement of Operation Department, Qatif Health Network, Qatif 31911, Saudi Arabia.
¹⁷ Infection Prevention and Control Department, Qatif Central Hospital, Qatif 32654, Saudi Arabia.
¹⁸ Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Taibah University, Al-Madinah 41491, Saudi Arabia.
¹⁹ Department of Infection Prevention and Control, Prince Mohammad Bin Abdulaziz Hospital, National Guard Health Affairs, Al-Madinah 41491, Saudi Arabia.
²⁰ Department of Medical Laboratories Technology, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Taibah University, Madinah 41411, Saudi Arabia.
²¹ Faculty of Medicine, Kafrelsheikh University, Kafrelsheikh 33511, Egypt.
²² Department of Chemistry, Government College of Engineering, Keonjhar 758002, India.

PMID: 36838306
PMCID: PMC9967649
DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11020341

Review

Epigenetic Targets and Pathways Linked to SARS-CoV-2 Infection and Pathology

Ali A Rabaan et al. Microorganisms. 2023.

. 2023 Jan 30;11(2):341.

doi: 10.3390/microorganisms11020341.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory, Johns Hopkins Aramco Healthcare, Dhahran 31311, Saudi Arabia.
² College of Medicine, Alfaisal University, Riyadh 11533, Saudi Arabia.
³ Department of Public Health and Nutrition, The University of Haripur, Haripur 22610, Pakistan.
⁴ Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, University of Hafr Al Batin, Hafr Al Batin 39831, Saudi Arabia.
⁵ Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh 11362, Saudi Arabia.
⁶ Infectious Diseases Unit, Department of Medicine, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Riyadh 11564, Saudi Arabia.
⁷ Clinical Laboratory Science Department, Mohammed Al-Mana College for Medical Sciences, Dammam 34222, Saudi Arabia.
⁸ Pediatric Department, Security Force Hospital, Riyadh 13526, Saudi Arabia.
⁹ Infectious Diseases Section, Medical Specialties Department, King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh 12231, Saudi Arabia.
¹⁰ Department of Epidemic Diseases Research, Institute for Research and Medical Consultations (IRMC), Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam 31441, Saudi Arabia.
¹¹ Makkah Specialized Laboratory, Fakeeh Care Group, Hadda 25321, Saudi Arabia.
¹² Department of Community Medicine and Health Care for Pilgrims, Faculty of Medicine, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah 21955, Saudi Arabia.
¹³ Department of Azizia Primary Health Care, Ministry of Health, Dammam 32211, Saudi Arabia.
¹⁴ Department of Infectious Disease, King Abdullah Medical City, Makkah 43442, Saudi Arabia.
¹⁵ Microbiology Laboratory, King Fahad University Hospital, Al Khobar 34445, Saudi Arabia.
¹⁶ Improvement of Operation Department, Qatif Health Network, Qatif 31911, Saudi Arabia.
¹⁷ Infection Prevention and Control Department, Qatif Central Hospital, Qatif 32654, Saudi Arabia.
¹⁸ Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Taibah University, Al-Madinah 41491, Saudi Arabia.
¹⁹ Department of Infection Prevention and Control, Prince Mohammad Bin Abdulaziz Hospital, National Guard Health Affairs, Al-Madinah 41491, Saudi Arabia.
²⁰ Department of Medical Laboratories Technology, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Taibah University, Madinah 41411, Saudi Arabia.
²¹ Faculty of Medicine, Kafrelsheikh University, Kafrelsheikh 33511, Egypt.
²² Department of Chemistry, Government College of Engineering, Keonjhar 758002, India.

PMID: 36838306
PMCID: PMC9967649
DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11020341

Abstract

The scale at which the SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 pandemic has spread remains enormous. Provided the genetic makeup of the virus and humans is readily available, the quest for knowing the mechanism and epidemiology continues to prevail across the entire scientific community. Several aspects, including immunology, molecular biology, and host-pathogen interaction, are continuously being dug into for preparing the human race for future pandemics. The exact reasons for vast differences in symptoms, pathophysiological implications of COVID-infections, and mortality differences remain elusive. Hence, researchers are also looking beyond traditional genomics, proteomics, and transcriptomics approach, especially entrusting the environmental regulation of the genetic landscape of COVID-human interactions. In line with these questions lies a critical process called epigenetics. The epigenetic perturbations in both host and parasites are a matter of great interest to unravel the disparities in COVID-19 mortalities and pathology. This review provides a deeper insight into current research on the epigenetic landscape of SARS-CoV-2 infection in humans and potential targets for augmenting the ongoing investigation. It also explores the potential targets, pathways, and networks associated with the epigenetic regulation of processes involved in SARS-CoV-2 pathology.

Keywords: COVID-19; COVID-pathology; SARS-CoV-2; drug targets; epigenetics.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

**Figure 1**
Overview of the classification of SARS-CoV-2 and its structure [ACE2, angiotensin I converting enzyme 2; E, envelope; M, membrane; N, nucleocapsid; RNA, ribonucleic acid; S, spike; SARS-CoV-2, coronavirus 2 of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2].

**Figure 2**
Overview of the methods used for epigenetic analysis. Primarily categorised based on knowledge about the gene sequence and later on the approaches. Most methods which are based on bisulphite need to derivatize the modifications before they can be analysed.

**Figure 3**
Overview of various epigenetic modifications and unresolved molecular cascades.

See this image and copyright information in PMC

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Epigenetic Targets and Pathways Linked to SARS-CoV-2 Infection and Pathology

Affiliations

Epigenetic Targets and Pathways Linked to SARS-CoV-2 Infection and Pathology

Authors

Affiliations

Abstract

Conflict of interest statement

Figures

References

Publication types

LinkOut - more resources

Full Text Sources

Miscellaneous