Association of Alleles of Human Leukocyte Antigen Class II Genes and Severity of COVID-19 in Patients of the ‘Red Zone’ of the Endocrinology Research Center, Moscow, Russia

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess the correlations of clinical features of patients with moderate and severe courses of COVID-19, comorbidity (endocrine, autoimmune, cardiovascular, oncological, and pulmonary diseases), and alleles of the HLA class II system genes. One hundred COVID-19 patients hospitalized in the Endocrinology Research Centre, Moscow, Russia, were analyzed for age, gender, smoking, comorbidity, and invasive mechanical ventilation. Computer tomography was used to assess the severity of the disease. HLA-DRB1, HLA-DQA1, and HLA-DQB1 alleles were identified in samples from 100 patients and samples from 327 randomly selected individuals collected in the prepandemic period (control group). There was no association of gender, age, weight, body mass index, smoking, and comorbidity with the severity of COVID-19. Allele DQB1*06:02-8 was more common in patients (p < 0.00005), and DQB1*06:01 and DQB1*05:03 were more common in the control group (p < 0.00005, and p = 0.0011, respectively). DQB1*06:02-8 can probably be considered as predisposing to moderate and severe COVID-19, and DQB1*06:01 can be considered as protective. No association of these alleles with comorbidity was found. Our results suggest that carriers of predisposing alleles, with cardiovascular and non-autoimmune endocrine diseases, should take more stringent preventive measures, and if infected, a more aggressive COVID-19 treatment strategy should be used.