# Epigenetic Priming of Inflammatory Genes in COVID-19: Insights into Pathogenesis and Prognosis

> **NIH NIH R01** · WEILL MEDICAL COLL OF CORNELL UNIV · 2020 · $316,941

## Abstract

The relatively high morbidity and mortality rates of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic,
caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), makes understanding specific
risk factors, pathogenesis and identifying effective therapies a top priority [1], [2]. Age is a general risk
factor, though there is high-variance in the clinical course of COVID-19 in middle-aged patients,
including mortality rates over 1% among patients in their 50's [3], [2]. Further, more than one quarter of
non-survivors in a Wuhan study have no co-morbidities [1]. Non-survivors had elevated serum IL-6, and
features of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) [1], [2]. These findings have provided rationale
for initiation of trials to explore therapeutic efficacy of IL-1R and IL-6R blockade in COVID-19 [4]. In
studying epigenetic control of inflammatory genes, we have found that key immune genes in blood
progenitors are variably regulated by epigenetic poising across individuals, with variability across age and
disease states. Herein, we aim to reveal specific genes, and epigenetic states of these genes, that may
underlie morbidity and mortality in COVID-19 through use of sensitive epigenomic methods recently
developed by the lab. This work will illuminate features of SARS-CoV-2 susceptibility and pathogenesis,
which is of the utmost importance if we are to develop effective therapies and patient management
strategies in a timely manner.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10134119
- **Project number:** 3R01AI148416-01S1
- **Recipient organization:** WEILL MEDICAL COLL OF CORNELL UNIV
- **Principal Investigator:** Steven Zvi Josefowicz
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $316,941
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2020-05-29 → 2022-11-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10134119

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10134119, Epigenetic Priming of Inflammatory Genes in COVID-19: Insights into Pathogenesis and Prognosis (3R01AI148416-01S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10134119. Licensed CC0.

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