Demonstration of the impact of COVID-19 on metabolic associated fatty liver disease by bioinformatics and system biology approach

Bioinformatics and system biology approaches to determine the connection of SARS-CoV-2 infection and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma

INTRODUCTION

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causal agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), has infected millions of individuals worldwide, which poses a severe threat to human health. COVID-19 is a systemic ailment affecting various tissues and organs, including the lungs and liver. Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) is one of the most common liver cancer, and cancer patients are particularly at high risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Nonetheless, few studies have investigated the impact of COVID-19 on ICC patients.

METHODS

With the methods of systems biology and bioinformatics, this study explored the link between COVID-19 and ICC, and searched for potential therapeutic drugs.

RESULTS

This study identified a total of 70 common differentially expressed genes (DEGs) shared by both diseases, shedding light on their shared functionalities. Enrichment analysis pinpointed metabolism and immunity as the primary areas influenced by these common genes. Subsequently, through protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis, we identified SCD, ACSL5, ACAT2, HSD17B4, ALDOA, ACSS1, ACADSB, CYP51A1, PSAT1, and HKDC1 as hub genes. Additionally, 44 transcription factors (TFs) and 112 microRNAs (miRNAs) were forecasted to regulate the hub genes. Most importantly, several drug candidates (Periodate-oxidized adenosine, Desipramine, Quercetin, Perfluoroheptanoic acid, Tetrandrine, Pentadecafluorooctanoic acid, Benzo[a]pyrene, SARIN, Dorzolamide, 8-Bromo-cAMP) may prove effective in treating ICC and COVID-19.

CONCLUSION

This study is expected to provide valuable references and potential drugs for future research and treatment of COVID-19 and ICC.

Impact of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease on COVID-19 hospitalizations: A propensity-matched analysis of the United States

BACKGROUND

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), formally known as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, is the most common chronic liver disease in the United States. Patients with MASLD have been reported to be at a higher risk of developing severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and death. However, most studies are single-center studies, and nationwide data in the United States is lacking.

AIM

To study the influence of MASLD on COVID-19 hospitalizations during the initial phase of the pandemic.

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed the 2020 National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database to identify primary COVID-19 hospitalizations based on an underlying diagnosis of MASLD. A matched comparison cohort of COVID-19 hospitalizations without MASLD was identified from NIS after 1: N propensity score matching based on gender, race, and comorbidities, including hypertension, heart failure, diabetes, and cirrhosis. The primary outcomes included inpatient mortality, length of stay, and hospitalization costs. Secondary outcomes included the prevalence of systemic complications.

RESULTS

A total of 2210 hospitalizations with MASLD were matched to 2210 hospitalizations without MASLD, with a good comorbidity balance. Overall, there was a higher prevalence of severe disease with more intensive care unit admissions (9.5% vs 7.2%, P = 0.007), mechanical ventilation (7.2% vs 5.7%, P = 0.03), and septic shock (5.2% vs 2.7%, P <0.001) in the MASLD cohort than in the non-MASLD cohort. However, there was no difference in mortality (8.6% vs 10%, P = 0.49), length of stay (5 d vs 5 d, P = 0.25), and hospitalization costs (42081.5 $ vs 38614$, P = 0.15) between the MASLD and non-MASLD cohorts.

CONCLUSION

The presence of MAFLD with or without liver cirrhosis was not associated with increased mortality in COVID-19 hospitalizations; however, there was an increased incidence of severe COVID-19 infection. This data (2020) predates the availability of COVID-19 vaccines, and many MASLD patients have since been vaccinated. It will be interesting to see if these trends are present in the subsequent years of the pandemic.

Discovering common pathogenetic processes between COVID-19 and tuberculosis by bioinformatics and system biology approach

Introduction

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, stemming from the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has persistently threatened the global health system. Meanwhile, tuberculosis (TB) caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis) still continues to be endemic in various regions of the world. There is a certain degree of similarity between the clinical features of COVID-19 and TB, but the underlying common pathogenetic processes between COVID-19 and TB are not well understood.

Methods

To elucidate the common pathogenetic processes between COVID-19 and TB, we implemented bioinformatics and systematic research to obtain shared pathways and molecular biomarkers. Here, the RNA-seq datasets (GSE196822 and GSE126614) are used to extract shared differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of COVID-19 and TB. The common DEGs were used to identify common pathways, hub genes, transcriptional regulatory networks, and potential drugs.

Results

A total of 96 common DEGs were selected for subsequent analyses. Functional enrichment analyses showed that viral genome replication and immune-related pathways collectively contributed to the development and progression of TB and COVID-19. Based on the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis, we identified 10 hub genes, including IFI44L, ISG15, MX1, IFI44, OASL, RSAD2, GBP1, OAS1, IFI6, and HERC5. Subsequently, the transcription factor (TF)-gene interaction and microRNA (miRNA)-gene coregulatory network identified 61 TFs and 29 miRNAs. Notably, we identified 10 potential drugs to treat TB and COVID-19, namely suloctidil, prenylamine, acetohexamide, terfenadine, prochlorperazine, 3'-azido-3'-deoxythymidine, chlorophyllin, etoposide, clioquinol, and propofol.

Conclusion

This research provides novel strategies and valuable references for the treatment of tuberculosis and COVID-19.