The COVID-19 Host Genetics Initiative

Abstract

This paper describes a meta-analysis of three GWAS studies carried out on more than 50,000 COVID-19 patients, which included participants from the BQC19. Conducted by an international consortium, the meta-analysis led to the identification of 15 chromosome regions (loci) associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection or a severe disease. This international collaboration represents an important model for future genetic discoveries, particularly during pandemics.

Gundula Povysil et al

Abstract

This study, which counts Brent Richards as a co-corresponding author, carried out sequencing of the whole genome, or of the exome (part of the genome that contains genes), on close to 2,000 COVID-19 patients and more than 15,000 controls. It used samples collected by four COVID-19 biobanks, including the BQC19. Focussing on genes associated with the interferon pathway. Researchers found no identifiable association between the severity of the disease and the loss of function in 13 rare genetic variants. The results proved contrary to the findings of a recent report.

Sirui Zhou, Guillaume Butler-Laporte, Tomoko Nakanishi, David R. Morrison, Jonathan Afilalo, Marc Afilalo, Laetitia Laurent, Maik Pietzner, Nicola Kerrison, Kaiqiong Zhao, Elsa Brunet-Ratnasingham, Danielle Henry, Nofar Kimchi, Zaman Afrasiabi, Nardin Rezk, Meriem Bouab, Louis Petitjean, Charlotte Guzman, Xiaoqing Xue, Chris Tselios, Branka Vulesevic, Olumide Adeleye, Tala Abdullah, Noor Almamlouk, Yiheng Chen, Michaël Chassé, Madeleine Durand, Clare Paterson, Johan Normark, Robert Frithiof, Miklós Lipcsey, Michael Hultström, Celia M. T. Greenwood, Hugo Zeberg, Claudia Langenberg, Elin Thysell, Michael Pollak, Vincent Mooser, Vincenzo Forgetta, Daniel E. Kaufmann & J. Brent Richards

Abstract

The Jewish General Hospital’s Brent Richards led a team that has shown that high levels of the OAS1 protein are associated with reduced mortality and less severe COVID-19. Therefore, the OAS1 protein protects against COVID-19 susceptibility and severity. Since therapies to increase OAS1 levels are currently in preclinical development, the present findings could add to new treatments available to COVID-19 patients.

Rose-Marie Rébillard, Marc Charabati, Camille Grasmuck, Abdelali Filali-Mouhim,2 Olivier Tastet, Nathalie Brassard, Audrey Daigneault, Lyne Bourbonnière, Sai Priya Anand, Renaud Balthazard, Guillaume Beaudoin-Bussières, Romain Gasser, Mehdi Benlarbi, Ana Carmena Moratalla, Yves Carpentier Solorio, Marianne Boutin, Negar Farzam-kia, Jade Descôteaux-Dinelle, Antoine Philippe Fournier, Elizabeth Gowing, Annemarie Laumaea, Hélène Jamann, Boaz Lahav, Guillaume Goyette, Florent Lemaître, Victoria Hannah Mamane, Jérémie Prévost, Jonathan Richard, Karine Thai, Jean-François Cailhier, Nicolas Chomont, Andrés Finzi, Michaël Chassé, Madeleine Durand, Nathalie Arbour, Daniel E. Kaufmann, Alexandre Prat, and Catherine Larochelle

Abstract

A Centre de recherche du CHUM team of researchers, led by Catherine Larochelle, has shown that a group of alterations to the immune system is specifically linked to the SARS-CoV-2 infection and to COVID-19 severity. These findings could be used to identify patients who are most at risk of developing severe forms of the disease and could lead to new therapeutic approaches to COVID-19.

Knoppers et al

Abstract

Responding to the COVID-19 pandemics requires new research and data-sharing approaches. This publication explores different consent strategies for recruiting participants to COVID-19 biobanks and proposes an access model that could be adapted to situations with different local, legal and ethical requirements while supporting transparent and open science.

Karine Tremblay , Simon Rousseau , Ma’n H. Zawati , Daniel Auld, Michaël Chassé, Daniel Coderre, Emilia Liana Falcone, Nicolas Gauthier, Nathalie Grandvaux, François Gros-Louis, Carole Jabet, Yann Joly, Daniel E. Kaufmann, Catherine Laprise, Catherine Larochelle, François Maltais, Anne-Marie Mes-Masson, Alexandre Montpetit, Alain Piché, J. Brent Richards, Sze Man Tse, Alexis F. Turgeon, Gustavo Turecki, Donald C. Vinh, Han Ting Wang, Vincent Mooser, on behalf of BQC19

Abstract

This publication from the BQC19 Steering Committee describes the process that led to the creation of the BQC19, and could act as a blueprint for developing COVID-19 biobanks.