CXCL10 an important chemokine associated with cytokine storm in COVID-19 infected patients

N. Zhang, Y.-D. Zhao, X.-M. Wang

Department of Pulmonary Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China. wangximingdalian@126.com

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• Infectious Diseases

OBJECTIVE: The specific mechanism of cytokine storm in COVID-19 infected patients is not clear. This study aims to identify the key genes that cause cytokine storm in COVID-19 infected patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a difference analysis on the GSE147507 data set. The analysis results are combined with immune genes to obtain immune-related genes among the differential genes. Finally, GO enrichment analysis, PPI analysis, core gene identification, and ssGSEA enrichment analysis were performed on the new gene set.

RESULTS: A total of 232 differential genes were screened out. After merging with immune genes, a total of 29 immune-related genes were obtained. Further analysis revealed that the genes were enriched in 16 pathways, and the protein interaction network had a total of 29 nodes and 139 edges. After screening, the core gene was CXCL10. The ssGSEA results of CXCL10 showed that CD4 and CD8 immune-related signature were significantly enriched in high CXCL10 expression, and the samples with low CXCL10 expression were significantly enriched with monocytes and DC immune-related signature.

CONCLUSIONS: CXCL10 may be a key gene related to the cytokine storm of COVID-19 infection, and it is expected to become the therapeutic target.

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