The correlation of ACE2 and IL-12 genes polymorphism and some immunological parameters on patients with COVID-19 disease in Iraq

This study aimed to estimate the correlation between ACE2 and IL-12 gene polymorphisms and some immunological parameters in COVID-19 patients. Accordingly, we examined why severe symptoms of COVID-19 occur in certain individuals, the genetic basis and host-virus interactions that cause them, and specifically focused on two COVID-19-related genes, ACE2 and IL-12, to identify gene polymorphisms in individuals with confirmed coronavirus infection. In this context, 120 individuals, 40 healthy and 80 COVID-19 patients, were included in the study. Nasal and oropharyngeal swabs and blood samples from healthy and sick individuals were taken from individuals admitted to Al-Dewanyah General Hospital between 1 November 2022 and 28 January 2023. The swab samples were tested with SARS-CoV 2 RT-qPCR detection kit to detect the presence of COVID-19 virus. The gSYNC DNA Extraction Kit and related reagents were used to extract DNA from the blood sample. The results showed that IL-12 levels were significantly (P<0.05) higher in the patient group (284.84±32.07) compared to the control group (7.94±3.58). Regarding the molecular study, the ACE2 gene T/C polymorphism in COVID-19 patients revealed that the CC allele was 49(61.25%), the CT allele 18(22.5%) and the TT allele 13(16.25%) in 80 patients. In the healthy human group, the proportion of CC allele was 13(32.5%), CT allele was 11(27.5%) and TT allele was 16(40.0%). The results indicated that the C allele was more common in patients with COVID-19 infection. IL 12 gene A/C polymorphism in COVID-19 patients showed that the AA allele was 44 ii (55.0%), AC allele was 25 (31.25%) and CC allele was 11(13.75%) in 80 patients. In the healthy human group, the rate of AA allele was 11(27.5%), the rate of AC allele was 15(37.5%) and the rate of CC allele was 14(35.0%). The data obtained indicate that the A allele is also more common in patients with COVID-19 infection. As a result, it is seen that the C allele for the ACE2 gene and the A allele for the IL-12 gene are more common in patients with COVID-19 infection.