Transcriptomic analysis revealed increased expression of genes involved in keratinization in the tears of COVID-19 patients

Mastropasqua, Leonardo; Toto, Lisa; Chiricosta, Luigi; Diomede, Francesca; Gugliandolo, Agnese; Silvestro, Serena; Marconi, Guya Diletta; Sinjari, Bruna; Vecchiet, Jacopo; Cipollone, Francesco; D’Ardes, Damiano; Auricchio, Antonio; Lanzini, Manuela; Caputi, Sergio; D’Aloisio, Rossella; Mazzon, Emanuela; Trubiani, Oriana

Recent studies have focused their attention on conjunctivitis as one of the symptoms of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Therefore, tear samples were taken from COVID-19 patients and the presence of SARS-CoV-2 was evidenced using Real Time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. The main aim of this study was to analyze mRNA expression in the tears of patients with COVID-19 compared with healthy subjects using Next Generation Sequencing (NGS). The functional evaluation of the transcriptome highlighted 25 genes that differ statistically between healthy individuals and patients affected by COVID-19. In particular, the NGS analysis identified the presence of several genes involved in B cell signaling and keratinization. In particular, the genes involved in B cell signaling were downregulated in the tears of COVID-19 patients, while those involved in keratinization were upregulated. The results indicated that SARS-CoV-2 may induce a process of ocular keratinization and a defective B cell response.