Open AccessMucin signature as a potential tool to predict susceptibility to COVID‐19
Author(s) -
Bose Mukulika,
Mitra Bhaskar,
Mukherjee Pinku
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
physiological reports
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.918
H-Index - 39
ISSN - 2051-817X
DOI - 10.14814/phy2.14701
Subject(s) - mucin , immunology , innate immune system , virus , pandemic , transcriptome , disease , inflammation , biology , biomarker , medicine , virology , immune system , infectious disease (medical specialty) , covid-19 , pathology , gene , gene expression , genetics
The Corona Virus Infectious Disease‐19 (COVID‐19) pandemic has played havoc on both the global health and economy. It is necessary to find a molecular signature that differentiates between low‐risk and high‐risk individuals. Pathogens, including viruses of the upper respiratory tract, utilize mucin proteins to enter into host cells. Mucins are critical components of innate immunity and also play important roles in infectious disease progression. Their expression is regulated by different cytokines during infection and inflammation. A comparison of mucin signatures between an asymptomatic versus symptomatic and between patients with mild versus severe symptoms could help identify other important proteins involved in the pathology of this new virus. Recent studies on the pathogenicity of the SARS‐CoV‐2 have found receptors that help its entry into the cells. In this review, we present an overview of how mucins are connected to the pathogenicity of the virus and propose that studying the glycome and mucin signature may lead to the development of a biomarker in predicting the susceptibility, progression, and response to therapy in COVID‐19 patients.