tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Sci Rep
. 2025 Apr 25;15(1):14462.
doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-95879-x. TAS2R38 gene methylation is associated with syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and clinical symptoms
Melania Melis[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Eleonora Loi[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Giacomo Aru[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Giorgia Sollai[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Mariano Mastinu[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Lala Chaimae Naciri[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Giacomo De Riu[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Luigi Angelo Vaira[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Giulia Costanzo[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Davide Firinu[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Paola Cabras[SUP] 7 [/SUP], Aldo Caddori[SUP] 7 [/SUP], Roberto Crnjar[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Patrizia Zavattari[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Iole Tomassini Barbarossa[SUP] 3 [/SUP]
Affiliations
TAS2R38 is the T2R receptor primarily associated with the innate immune response of the respiratory system. It activates a response mediated by nitric oxide (NO), which has been shown to inhibit the replication of SARS-CoV-2. TAS2R38 polymorphisms (SNPs) that decrease receptor functionality contributing to individual differences in susceptibility to airway infections. DNA methylation (DNAm) may affect gene expression influencing disease development, including COVID-19. We analyzed the effect of SARS-CoV-2 on the methylation pattern of TAS2R38 (at cg25481253, a CpG site located in the coding region) during infection and after the cessation of the exposure to the virus, also considering the disease severity and TAS2R38 SNPs. Our results showed a positive relationship between TAS2R38 DNAm levels and disease severity in the COVID-19 patients and a return to a normal state after the infection. In addition, our results showed an association between DNAm level and the TAS2R38 genotype in participants who recovered from the disease. PAV/PAV genotypes showed lower TAS2R38 DNAm levels than heterozygous and AVI homozygous. In conclusion, our results clearly indicate the involvement of TAS2R38 DNAm alteration in COVID-19 severity and suggest a role of the methylation changes at cg25481253 in the regulation of the TAS2R38 expression.
Keywords: TAS2R38 gene methylation; COVID-19; SNPs of TAS2R38 gene; TAS2R38 receptor.
. 2025 Apr 25;15(1):14462.
doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-95879-x. TAS2R38 gene methylation is associated with syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and clinical symptoms
Melania Melis[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Eleonora Loi[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Giacomo Aru[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Giorgia Sollai[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Mariano Mastinu[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Lala Chaimae Naciri[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Giacomo De Riu[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Luigi Angelo Vaira[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Giulia Costanzo[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Davide Firinu[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Paola Cabras[SUP] 7 [/SUP], Aldo Caddori[SUP] 7 [/SUP], Roberto Crnjar[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Patrizia Zavattari[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Iole Tomassini Barbarossa[SUP] 3 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 40280971
- PMCID: PMC12032294
- DOI: 10.1038/s41598-025-95879-x
TAS2R38 is the T2R receptor primarily associated with the innate immune response of the respiratory system. It activates a response mediated by nitric oxide (NO), which has been shown to inhibit the replication of SARS-CoV-2. TAS2R38 polymorphisms (SNPs) that decrease receptor functionality contributing to individual differences in susceptibility to airway infections. DNA methylation (DNAm) may affect gene expression influencing disease development, including COVID-19. We analyzed the effect of SARS-CoV-2 on the methylation pattern of TAS2R38 (at cg25481253, a CpG site located in the coding region) during infection and after the cessation of the exposure to the virus, also considering the disease severity and TAS2R38 SNPs. Our results showed a positive relationship between TAS2R38 DNAm levels and disease severity in the COVID-19 patients and a return to a normal state after the infection. In addition, our results showed an association between DNAm level and the TAS2R38 genotype in participants who recovered from the disease. PAV/PAV genotypes showed lower TAS2R38 DNAm levels than heterozygous and AVI homozygous. In conclusion, our results clearly indicate the involvement of TAS2R38 DNAm alteration in COVID-19 severity and suggest a role of the methylation changes at cg25481253 in the regulation of the TAS2R38 expression.
Keywords: TAS2R38 gene methylation; COVID-19; SNPs of TAS2R38 gene; TAS2R38 receptor.