Association between ABO blood groups and rhesus antigen and susceptibility to COVID-19 in the Yazd hospital.

Blood group antigens are one of the most important antigens in humans that have an impact on susceptibility to disease and may be used as a prognosis factor in different diseases such as COVID-19. The study aimed to investigate the relationship between ABO blood groups and Rhesus antigen and susceptibility to COVID-19. The clinical data of 398 subjects were used in the investigation collected from 148 cases vs. 250 controls. This information was obtained from Shahid Sadoughi Hospital of Yazd (IRAN) University. Blood groups and outcomes were assessed using statistical tests for four populations: COV + vs. COV- and COV +/deceased vs. COV +/live. Out of a total of 148 COVID-19 patients, 80 (54/1%) were male, 68 (45/9%) were female. Among these patients, 33 (22/6%) had type A+, 44 (30/1%) had type B+, 13 (8/9%) had type AB+, and 36 (24/7%) had type O+. On the other hand, out of 148 patients, 126 (86/3%) had positive blood types, and 20 (13/7%) had negative blood types. As a result, no significant difference was found in the relationship between ABO blood groups and RH type and susceptibility to COVID-19 (p-value = 0.392 and p-value = 0.847, respectively). Other data showed a significant difference between patients group with other parameters such as age (p-value<0.001) and gender (p-value<0.001). Although in this study there was no association between blood type and RH type with COVID-19, findings of the association between age and gender can confirm the results of previous studies.

The interplay between EBV and KSHV viral products and NF-κB pathway in oncogenesis.

Among the DNA tumor viruses Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and Kaposi sarcoma herpesvirus (KSHV), account for a considerable percentage of virus-associated cancers. Deregulation of transcription factors signaling pathways is one of the most significant oncogenic characteristics of EBV and KSHV. NF-κB is a transcription factor that play a remarkable role in oncogenesis because of its function as a master regulator of a spectrum of genes involved in physiological and pathophysiological process. Constitutive activation of NF-κB is a frequent and well-described event in many human malignancies. Compelling evidence represent EBV and KSHV are capable of targeting different components of NF-κB cascade. Here, we summarized recent findings to clarify the precise relationship between dysregulation of NF-κB and EBV and KSHV-related malignancies. This essay also emphasizes on contribution of various viral products in developing cancer through alteration of NF-κB signaling pathway.