Assessment of ACE2, CXCL10 and Their co-expressed Genes: An In-silico Approach to Evaluate the Susceptibility and Fatality of Lung Cancer Patients towards COVID-19 Infection

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Abstract

Background

COVID-19 is a recent pandemic that started to spread out worldwide from Wuhan, China. This disease is caused by a newly discovered strain of the coronavirus, namely SARS CoV-2. Lung cancer patients are reported to be more susceptible to COVID-19 infection. To evaluate the probable reasons behind the excessive susceptibility and fatality of lung cancer patients to COVID-19 infection, we targeted two most crucial biomarkers of COVID-19, ACE2 and CXCL10. ACE2 plays a vital role in the SARS CoV-2 entry into the host cell while CXCL10 is a cytokine mainly responsible for the lung cell damage involving in a cytokine storm.

Methods

Firstly, we used the TIMER, UALCAN and GEPIA2 databases to analyze the expression and correlation of ACE2 and CXCL10 in LUAD and LUSC. After that, using the cBioPortal database, we performed an analytical study to determine the genetic changes in ACE2 and CXCL10 protein sequences that are responsible for lung cancer development. Finally, we analyzed different functional approaches of ACE2, CXCL10 and their co-expressed genes associated with lung cancer and COVID-19 development by using the PANTHER database.

Results

Initially, we observed that ACE2 and CXCL10 are mostly overexpressed in LUAD and LUSC. We also found the functional significance of ACE2 and CXCL10 in lung cancer development by determining the genetic alteration frequency in their amino acid sequences. Lastly, by doing the functional assessment of the targeted genes, we identified that ACE2 and CXCL10 along with their commonly co-expressed genes are respectively involved in the binding activity and immune responses in case of lung cancer and COVID-19 infection.

Conclusions

Finally, on the basis of this systemic analysis, we came to the conclusion that ACE2 and CXCL10 are possible biomarkers responsible for the higher susceptibility and fatality of lung cancer patients towards the COVID-19.

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  1. SciScore for 10.1101/2020.05.27.119610: (What is this?)

    Please note, not all rigor criteria are appropriate for all manuscripts.

    Table 1: Rigor

    Institutional Review Board Statementnot detected.
    Randomizationnot detected.
    Blindingnot detected.
    Power Analysisnot detected.
    Sex as a biological variablenot detected.

    Table 2: Resources

    Software and Algorithms
    SentencesResources
    2.1 Expression analysis of the targeted genes: 2.2 Functional characterization of the targeted genes: 2.3 Co-expression analysis of the targeted genes: 2.4 Interpretation of functional role of the targeted genes: An integrative molecular assessment of the functional approaches of ACE2 and CXCL10 associated with the lung cancer and fatal type of COVID-19 development was attributed by using Protein Analysis Through Evolutionary Relationships (PANTHER) (http://www.pantherdb.org/) tool.
    PANTHER
    suggested: (PANTHER, RRID:SCR_004869)

    Results from OddPub: We did not detect open data. We also did not detect open code. Researchers are encouraged to share open data when possible (see Nature blog).


    Results from LimitationRecognizer: An explicit section about the limitations of the techniques employed in this study was not found. We encourage authors to address study limitations.

    Results from TrialIdentifier: No clinical trial numbers were referenced.


    Results from Barzooka: We did not find any issues relating to the usage of bar graphs.


    Results from JetFighter: We did not find any issues relating to colormaps.


    Results from rtransparent:
    • Thank you for including a conflict of interest statement. Authors are encouraged to include this statement when submitting to a journal.
    • No funding statement was detected.
    • No protocol registration statement was detected.

    About SciScore

    SciScore is an automated tool that is designed to assist expert reviewers by finding and presenting formulaic information scattered throughout a paper in a standard, easy to digest format. SciScore checks for the presence and correctness of RRIDs (research resource identifiers), and for rigor criteria such as sex and investigator blinding. For details on the theoretical underpinning of rigor criteria and the tools shown here, including references cited, please follow this link.