GWAS reveals genetic basis of a predisposition to severe COVID-19 through in silico modeling of the FYCO1 protein.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causative agent of COVID-19, is heavily reliant on its natural ability to "hack" the host's genetic and biological pathways. The genetic susceptibility of the host is a key factor underlying the severity of the disease. Polygenic risk scores are essential for risk assessment, risk stratification, and the prevention of adverse outcomes. In this study, we aimed to assess and analyze the genetic predisposition to severe COVID-19 in a large representative sample of the Russian population as well as to build a reliable but simple polygenic risk score model with a lower margin of error. Another important goal was to learn more about the pathogenesis of severe COVID-19. We examined the tertiary structure of the FYCO1 protein, the only gene with mutations in its coding region and discovered changes in the coiled-coil domain. Our findings suggest that FYCO1 may accelerate viral intracellular replication and excessive exocytosis and may contribute to an increased risk of severe COVID-19. We found significant associations between COVID-19 and LZTFL1, FYCO1, XCR1, CCR9, TMLHE-AS1, and SCYL2 at 3p21.31. Our findings further demonstrate the polymorphic nature of the severe COVID-19 phenotype.

Mortality and survival in nonagenarians during the COVID-19 pandemic: Unstable equilibrium of aging.

Introduction: Aging puts the human body under an immense stress and makes it extremely susceptible to many diseases, often leading to poor outcomes and even death. Long-living individuals represent a unique group of people who withstood the stress of time and offer an abundance of information on the body's ability to endure the pressure of aging. In this study, we sought to identify predictors of overall one-year mortality in 1641 long-living individuals. Additionally, we analyzed risk factors for COVID-19-related morality, since statistics demonstrated an extreme vulnerability of older adults. Methods: We conducted a two-stage evaluation, including a comprehensive geriatric assessment for major aging-associated: frailty, cognitive impairment, frontal lobe dysfunction, chronic pain, anxiety, risk of falls, sensory deficit, depression, sarcopenia, risk of malnutrition, fecal and urinary incontinence, dependence in Activities of Daily Living, dependence in Instrumental Activities of Daily Living, polypragmasia, and orthostatic hypotension; extensive blood testing, a survey, and a one-year follow-up interview. Results: The most reliable predictors of overall mortality were cognitive impairment, malnutrition, frailty, aging-associated diseases and blood markers indicating malnutrition-induced metabolic dysfunctions (decreased levels of protein fractions, iron, 25-hydroxyvitamin D, and HDL), and aging biomarkers, such as IGF-1 and N-terminal pro b-type natriuretic peptide. In post-COVID 19 participants, the most significant mortality predictors among geriatric syndromes were depression, frontal lobe dysfunction and frailty, and similar to overall mortality blood biomarkers - 25-hydroxyvitamin D, IGF-1, HDL as well as high white blood cell, neutrophils counts and proinflammatory markers. Based on the results, we built a predictive model of overall mortality in the long-living individuals with f-score=0.76. Conclusion: The most sensitive and reliable predictors of mortality were modifiable. This is another evidence of the critical importance of proper geriatric care and support for individuals in their "golden years". These results could facilitate geriatric institutions in their pursuit for providing improved care and could aid physicians in detecting early signs of potentially deadly outcomes. Additionally, our findings could be used in developing day-to-day care guidelines, which would greatly improve prevention statistics.

Genetics of psycho-emotional well-being: genome-wide association study and polygenic risk score analysis.

Background: Psycho-emotional well-being is essential for living a life of satisfaction and fulfillment. However, depression and anxiety have become the leading mental health issues worldwide, according to the World Health Organization. Both disorders have been linked to stress and other psychological factors. Their genetic basis remains understudied. Methods: In 2020-2021, the psycho-emotional well-being of 30,063 Russians with no known psychiatric history was assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) for general mental health and the HADS subscale A (anxiety) for anxiety. Following the original instructions, an anxiety score of ≥11 points was used as the anxiety threshold. A genome-wide association study was performed to find associations between anxiety and HADS/HADS-A scores using linear and logistic regressions based on HADS/HADS-A scores as binary and continuous variables, respectively. In addition, the links between anxiety, sociodemographic factors (such as age, sex, and employment), lifestyle (such as physical activity, sleep duration, and smoking), and markers of caffeine and alcohol metabolism were analyzed. To assess the risk of anxiety, polygenic risk score modeling was carried out using open-access software and principal component analysis (PCA) to simplify the calculations (ROC AUC = 89.4 ± 2.2% on the test set). Results: There was a strong positive association between HADS/HADS-A scores and sociodemographic factors and lifestyle. New single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with genome-wide significance were discovered, which had not been associated with anxiety or other stress-related conditions but were located in genes previously associated with bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, or emotional instability. The CACNA1C variant rs1205787230 was associated with clinical anxiety (a HADS-A score of ≥11 points). There was an association between anxiety levels (HADS-A scores) and genes involved in the activity of excitatory neurotransmitters: PTPRN2 (rs3857647), DLGAP4 (rs8114927), and STK24 (rs9517326). Conclusion: Our results suggest that calcium channels and monoamine neurotransmitters, as well as SNPs in genes directly or indirectly affecting neurogenesis and synaptic functions, may be involved in the development of increased anxiety. The role of some non-genetic factors and the clinical significance of physiological markers such as lifestyle were also demonstrated.

Biological Age Predictors: The Status Quo and Future Trends.

There is no single universal biomarker yet to estimate overall health status and longevity prospects. Moreover, a consensual approach to the very concept of aging and the means of its assessment are yet to be developed. Markers of aging could facilitate effective health control, more accurate life expectancy estimates, and improved health and quality of life. Clinicians routinely use several indicators that could be biomarkers of aging. Duly validated in a large cohort, models based on a combination of these markers could provide a highly accurate assessment of biological age and the pace of aging. Biological aging is a complex characteristic of chronological age (usually), health-to-age concordance, and medically estimated life expectancy. This study is a review of the most promising techniques that could soon be used in routine clinical practice. Two main selection criteria were applied: a sufficient sample size and reliability based on validation. The selected biological age calculators were grouped according to the type of biomarker used: (1) standard clinical and laboratory markers; (2) molecular markers; and (3) epigenetic markers. The most accurate were the calculators, which factored in a variety of biomarkers. Despite their demonstrated effectiveness, most of them require further improvement and cannot yet be considered for use in standard clinical practice. To illustrate their clinical application, we reviewed their use during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Analyzing Successful Aging and Longevity: Risk Factors and Health Promoters in 2020 Older Adults.

Geriatric syndromes (GSs) and aging-associated diseases (AADs) are common side effects of aging. They are affecting the lives of millions of older adults and placing immense pressure on healthcare systems and economies worldwide. It is imperative to study the factors causing these conditions and develop a holistic framework for their management. The so-called long-lived individuals-people over the age of 90 who managed to retain much of their health and functionality-could be holding the key to understanding these factors and their health implications. We analyzed the health status and lifestyle of the long-lived individuals and identified risk factors for GSs. Family history greatly contributes to the health and prevention of cognitive decline in older adults. Lifestyle and certain socioeconomic factors such as education, the age of starting to work and retiring, job type and income level, physical activity, and hobby were also associated with certain GSs. Moreover, the levels of total protein, albumin, alpha-1 globulins, high-density lipoprotein, free triiodothyronine, and 25-hydroxyvitamin D were direct indicators of the current health status. The proposed mathematical model allows the prediction of successful aging based on family history, social and economic factors, and life-long physical activity (f1 score = 0.72, AUC = 0.68, precision = 0.83 and recall = 0.64).