Angiotensin-converting enzyme 1 and voltage-gated potassium channel-interacting protein 4 gene polymorphisms in COVID-19 patients from east of Iran.

• COVID-19 is a pandemic caused by an ACE2-tropic pathogen, which is called SARS-CoV2. • COVID-19 patients with ACE1 II genotype have a significant better chance of survival. • ACE1 I/D polymorphism can be a prognostic factor indicating the outcome of COVID-19. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the infectious respiratory disease caused by a newly discovered pathogen (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2), is a pandemic that places a burden on the health care system. Recently, most research on COVID-19 has emphasized its profound impact on specific regions and ethnic groups. A possible explanation for these variations in disease presentation and severity might be differences in the gene pool of populations. This study therefore attempted to clarify possible involvements of genetic factors affecting COVID-19 pathogenesis with a focus on voltage-gated potassium channel-interacting protein 4 (KCNIP4) and angiotensin-converting enzyme 1 (ACE1) gene polymorphisms. In this case-control study, the polymorphisms were genotyped using PCR in 194 COVID-19 patients and 194 healthy controls. COVID-19 susceptibility and severity appeared to be unaffected by these polymorphisms. However, this study supported the relevance of ACE1 II genotype frequency to a decreased number of deaths due to the infection. We found that COVID-19 patients with the ACE1 II genotype have a statistically significant better chance of survival (p = 0.008). This study strengthens the idea that the ACE1 I/D polymorphism can be a novel prognostic factor indicating the outcome of COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]