Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.2478/aiht-2024-75-3819
In silico analysis of the impact of toxic metals on COVID-19 complications: molecular insights
Jovana Živanović
orcid.org/0009-0003-6230-8246
; University of Belgrade Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Toxicology “Akademik Danilo Soldatović”, Belgrade, Serbia
Katarina Baralić
; University of Belgrade Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Toxicology “Akademik Danilo Soldatović”, Belgrade, Serbia
Katarina Živančević
; University of Belgrade Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Toxicology “Akademik Danilo Soldatović”, Belgrade, Serbia 2 University of Belgrade Faculty of Biology, Ivan Đaja Institute for Physiology and Biochemistry , Belgrade, Serbia
Dragica Božić
; University of Belgrade Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Toxicology “Akademik Danilo Soldatović”, Belgrade, Serbia
Đurđica Marić
; University of Belgrade Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Toxicology “Akademik Danilo Soldatović”, Belgrade, Serbia
Evica Antonijević Miljaković
; University of Belgrade Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Toxicology “Akademik Danilo Soldatović”, Belgrade, Serbia
Aleksandra Buha Đorđević
; University of Belgrade Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Toxicology “Akademik Danilo Soldatović”, Belgrade, Serbia
Marijana Ćurčić
; University of Belgrade Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Toxicology “Akademik Danilo Soldatović”, Belgrade, Serbia
Zorica Bulat
; University of Belgrade Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Toxicology “Akademik Danilo Soldatović”, Belgrade, Serbia
Biljana Antonijević
; University of Belgrade Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Toxicology “Akademik Danilo Soldatović”, Belgrade, Serbia
Danijela Đukić-Ćosić
; University of Belgrade Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Toxicology “Akademik Danilo Soldatović”, Belgrade, Serbia
Abstract
COVID-19 can cause a range of complications, including cardiovascular, renal, and/or respiratory insufficiencies, yet little is known of its potential effects in persons exposed to toxic metals. The aim of this study was to answer this question with in silico toxicogenomic methods that can provide molecular insights into COVID-19 complications owed to exposure to arsenic, cadmium, lead, mercury, nickel, and chromium. For this purpose we relied on the Comparative Toxicogenomic Database (CTD), GeneMANIA, and ToppGene Suite portal and identified a set of five common genes (IL1B, CXCL8, IL6, IL10, TNF) for the six metals and COVID-19, all of which code for pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines. The list was expanded with additional 20 related genes. Physical interactions are the most common between the genes affected by the six metals (77.64 %), while the dominant interaction between the genes affected by each metal separately is co-expression (As 56.35 %, Cd 64.07 %, Pb 71.5 %, Hg 81.91 %, Ni 64.28 %, Cr 88.51 %). Biological processes, molecular functions, and pathways in which these 25 genes participate are closely related to cytokines and cytokine storm implicated in the development of COVID-19 complications. In other words, our findings confirm that exposure to toxic metals, alone or in combinations, might escalate COVID-19 severity.
Keywords
Comparative Toxicogenomic Database; cytokines; genes; physical interactions; SARS-CoV-2
Hrčak ID:
318096
URI
Publication date:
19.6.2024.
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