Large genetic study on severe COVID-19 Large genetic study on severe COVID-19
Bonn researchers confirm three other genes for increased risk in addition to the known TLR7 gene
Whether or not a person becomes seriously ill with COVID-19 depends, among other things, on genetic factors. With this in mind, researchers from the University Hospital Bonn (UKB) and the University of Bonn, in cooperation with other research teams from Germany, the Netherlands, Spain and Italy, investigated a particularly large group of affected individuals. They confirmed the central and already known role of the TLR7 gene in severe courses of the disease in men, but were also able to find evidence for a contribution of the gene in women. In addition, they were able to show that genetic changes in three other genes of the innate immune system contribute to severe COVID-19. The results have now been published in the journal “Human Genetics and Genomics Advances”.
Large genetic study on severe COVID-19
- (from left): Jannik Boos, Prof. Kerstin Ludwig und Dr. Axel Schmidt confirm three other genes for increased risk in addition to the known TLR7 gene.
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The study was supported by the NGS Core Facility of the UKB
The study was supported by the BONFOR program of the Faculty of Medicine.
In addition to the University Hospital Bonn and the University of Bonn, the University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, the Humanitas University Milan (Italy) and the University Hospital Radboudumc (Netherlands) were also centrally involved.
Jannik Boos et. al: Stratified analyses refine association between TLR7 rare variants and severe COVID-19; HGG Advances; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xhgg.2024.100323
Prof. Kerstin U. Ludwig
Institute of Human Genetics
Bonn University Hospital
ImmunoSensation2 & TRA "Life and Health", University of Bonn
Phone: +49 228 6885420
E-mail: kerstin.ludwig@uni-bonn.de