Bioinformatics and system biology approach to identify the influences of COVID-19 on metabolic unhealthy obese patients
Authors: Huang Tengda , Jiang Nan , Song Yujia , Pan Hongyuan , Bai Jincheng , Yu Bingxuan , Li Xiaoquan , He Jinyi , Yuan Kefei , Wang Zhen 
Published: January 2023

Objective

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-COV-2) has posed a significant challenge to individuals’ health. Increasing evidence shows that patients with metabolic unhealthy obesity (MUO) and COVID-19 have severer complications and higher mortality rate. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the association between MUO and COVID-19 are poorly understood. We sought to implement transcriptomic analysis using bioinformatics and systems biology analysis approaches.

Methods

Here, two datasets (GSE196822 and GSE152991) were employed to extract differentially expressed genes (DEGs) to identify common hub genes, shared pathways and candidate drugs and construct a gene-disease network.

Results

Based on the identified 65 common DEGs, the results revealed hub genes and essential modules. Moreover, common associations between MUO and COVID-19 were found. Transcription factors (TFs)–genes interaction, and DEGs-miRNAs coregulatory network were identified. Furthermore, the gene-disease association were obtained and constructed.

Conclusions

The shared pathogenic pathways are noted worth paying attention to. Several genes are highlighted as critical targets for developing treatments for and investigating the complications of COVID-19 and MUO. Additionally, multiple genes are identified as promising biomarkers. We think this study’s result may help in selecting and inventing future treatments that can combat COVID-19 and MUO.

Answer for the Study Importance Questions

What is already known about this subject?

SARS-COV-2 infection can cause additional severe complications, particularly in patients with obesity and associated metabolic disturbance, which can also increase the risk of SARS-COV-2 infection and hospitalization. SARS-COV-2 infection can cause additional severe complications, particularly in patients with obesity and associated metabolic disturbances, which can also increase the risk of SARS-COV-2 infection and hospitalization.

What are the new findings in your manuscript?

Based on the 65 identified common DEGs, the shared pathogenic pathways are noted worth paying attention to. Several genes are highlighted as critical targets for developing treatments for and investigating the complications of COVID-19 and MUO. Additionally, multiple genes are identified as promising biomarkers. We think this study’s result may help in selecting candidate drugs and inventing future treatments that can combat COVID-19 and MUO.

How might your results change the direction of research or the focus of clinical practice?

Potential pathways and genes that significantly affect the prognosis of COVID-19 patients with MUO were identified, which might be helpful for further research about the detailed mechanism of how obesity affects the coronavirus infection. Additionally, the extracted candidate drugs might be the potential drugs for treating these two diseases in clinical practice. The gene-disease network also revealed essential genes linking them with other diseases, providing information for complications studies.