Abstract
In early 2020, one of the most prevalent symptoms of SARS-CoV-2 infection was the loss of smell (anosmia), found in 60-70% of all cases. Anosmia used to occur early, concomitantly with other symptoms, and often persisted after recovery for an extended period, sometimes for months. In addition to smell disturbance, COVID-19 has also been associated with loss of taste (ageusia). The latest research suggests that SARS-CoV-2 could spread from the respiratory system to the brain through receptors in sustentacular cells localized to the olfactory epithelium. The virus invades human cells via the obligatory receptor, angiotensin-converting enzyme II (ACE2), and a priming protease, TMPRSS2, facilitating viral penetration. There is an abundant expression of both ACE2 and TMPRSS2 in sustentacular cells. In this study, we evaluated 102 COVID-19 hospitalized patients, of which 17.60% presented anosmia and 9.80% ageusia. ACE1 , ACE2 , and TMPRSS2 gene expression levels in nasopharyngeal tissue were obtained by RT-qPCR and measured using ΔCT analysis. ACE1 Alu 287bp association was also evaluated. Logistic regression models were generated to estimate the effects of variables on ageusia and anosmia Association of ACE2 expression levels with ageusia. was observed (OR: 1.35; 95% CI: 1.098-1.775); however, no association was observed between TMPRSS2 and ACE1 expression levels and ageusia. No association was observed among the three genes and anosmia, and the Alu 287bp polymorphism was not associated with any of the outcomes. Lastly, we discuss whetherthere is a bridge linking these initial symptoms, including molecular factors, to long-term COVID-19 health consequences such as cognitive dysfunctions.
Keywords: COVID-19; ageusia; anosmia; cognitive dysfunction; genetic association; long-COVID syndrome; quantitative trait; severe COVID-19.
【저자키워드】 COVID-19, Anosmia, severe COVID-19., Ageusia, genetic association, long-COVID syndrome, Cognitive dysfunction, quantitative trait, 【초록키워드】 SARS-CoV-2, ACE2, TMPRSS2, severe COVID-19, SARS-COV-2 infection, Genetic, polymorphism, Symptom, protease, hospitalized patients, virus, Symptoms, Brain, Spread, outcomes, RT-qPCR, Health, cells, nasopharyngeal, Regression model, Research, Factors, long-COVID, Respiratory system, receptor, molecular, ACE2 expression, expression, Alu, Quantitative, association, Angiotensin-converting enzyme, Analysis, ACE1, Olfactory epithelium, initial symptoms, cognitive, Loss of Smell, tissue, expression level, loss of taste, priming, penetration, human cell, variable, Effect, Cell, consequence, prevalent, addition, evaluated, occur, gene expression level, obligatory, 【제목키워드】 Hospitalized, Cohort, correlation, ACE2 gene, cognitive, expression level, loss of taste, disorder, negative, New,