Barturen, GuillermoCarnero-Montoro, ElenaMartinez-Bueno, ManuelRojo-Rello, SilviaSobrino, BeatrizPorras-Perales, OscarAlcantara-Dominguez, ClaraBernardo, DavidAlarcon-Riquelme, Marta E2023-05-032023-05-032022-08-06Barturen G, Carnero-Montoro E, Martínez-Bueno M, Rojo-Rello S, Sobrino B, Porras-Perales Ó, et al. Whole blood DNA methylation analysis reveals respiratory environmental traits involved in COVID-19 severity following SARS-CoV-2 infection. Nat Commun. 2022 Aug 6;13(1):4597http://hdl.handle.net/10668/19543SARS-CoV-2 infection can cause an inflammatory syndrome (COVID-19) leading, in many cases, to bilateral pneumonia, severe dyspnea, and in ~5% of these, death. DNA methylation is known to play an important role in the regulation of the immune processes behind COVID-19 progression, however it has not been studied in depth. In this study, we aim to evaluate the implication of DNA methylation in COVID-19 progression by means of a genome-wide DNA methylation analysis combined with DNA genotyping. The results reveal the existence of epigenomic regulation of functional pathways associated with COVID-19 progression and mediated by genetic loci. We find an environmental trait-related signature that discriminates mild from severe cases and regulates, among other cytokines, IL-6 expression via the transcription factor CEBP. The analyses suggest that an interaction between environmental contribution, genetics, and epigenetics might be playing a role in triggering the cytokine storm described in the most severe cases.enAttribution 4.0 Internationalhttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/DNA MethylationCytokine Release SyndromeTranscription FactorsEpigenomicCOVID-19Cytokine Release SyndromeCytokinesDNA MethylationHumansSARS-CoV-2research article35933486open accessMetilación de ADNControl social formalEpigenómicaSíndrome de liberación de citoquinasNeumoníaGenéticaInmunidad10.1038/s41467-022-32357-22041-1723PMC9357033https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-022-32357-2.pdfhttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9357033/pdf