NYU Abu Dhabi researchers uncover new insights into why individuals are affected differently by COVID-19 infection

NYU Abu Dhabi researchers uncover new insights into why individuals are affected differently by COVID-19 infection

- Study identifies gene regulators of the immune response to COVID‑19, with changes in their expression at the early stages of infection associated with blood traits underlying COVID-19 severity

Abu Dhabi, UAE: A team of researchers at NYU Abu Dhabi, led by Associate Professor of Biology Youssef Idaghdour and working in collaboration with clinicians at several Abu Dhabi hospitals, investigated the association between microRNAs, a class of small RNA molecules that regulate genes, and COVID-19 severity among 259 unvaccinated COVID-19 patients living in Abu Dhabi. The team identified microRNAs that are associated with a weakened immune response and admission to ICU.

During this process, they created the first genomic picture of the architecture of blood microRNAs in unvaccinated COVID-19 patients from the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia regions whose populations are consistently underrepresented in genomics research. The researchers identified changes in microRNAs at the early stages of infection that are associated with specific blood traits and immune cell death, allowing the virus to evade the immune system and proliferate.

The results of the system's genetics study demonstrate that a patient’s genetic make-up affects immune function and disease severity, offering new insights into how patient prognosis and treatment can be improved. Given