AUTHOR=Zhang Jian , Jiang Huali , Du Kunpeng , Xie Tao , Wang Baiyao , Chen Chengcong , Cen Bohong , Yuan Yawei , Ye Jiacai 

TITLE=Pan-Cancer Analysis of Genomic and Prognostic Characteristics Associated With Coronavirus Disease 2019 Regulators

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Medicine

VOLUME=Volume 8 - 2021

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/medicine/articles/10.3389/fmed.2021.662460

DOI=10.3389/fmed.2021.662460

ISSN=2296-858X

ABSTRACT=Background: Cancer patients are alleged to have poor coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outcomes. However, no systematic or comprehensive analyses of the role and mechanisms of COVID-19 receptor-related regulators in cancer are available. 
Methods: We comprehensively evaluated the genomic alterations and their clinical relevance of six COVID-19 receptor-related regulators (transmembrane serine protease 2 (TMPRSS2), angiotensinogen (AGT), angiotensin-converting enzyme 1 (ACE1), solute carrier family 6 member 19 (SLC6A19), angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), and angiotensin II receptor type 2 (AGTR2) across a broad spectrum of solid tumors. RNA-seq data, single nucleotide variation data, copy number variation data, methylation data, and miRNA-mRNA interaction network data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) of 33 solid tumors were analyzed. We assessed the sensitivities of drugs targeting COVID-19 receptor-related regulators, using information from the Cancer Therapeutics Response Portal database. 
Results: We found that there are widespread genetic alterations of COVID-19 regulators and that their expression levels were significantly correlated with the activity of cancer hallmark-related pathways. Moreover, COVID-19 receptor-related regulators may be able to be used as prognostic biomarkers. By mining the genomics of drug sensitivities in cancer databases, we discovered a number of potential drugs that may target COVID-19 receptor-related regulators. 
Conclusion: This study revealed the genomic alterations and clinical characteristics of COVID-19 receptor-related regulators across 33 cancers, which may clarify the potential mechanism between COVID-19 receptor-related regulators and tumorigenesis and provide a novel approach for cancer treatments.