Role of Multiomics Data to Understand Host–Pathogen Interactions in COVID-19 Pathogenesis

Human infectious diseases are contributed equally by the host immune system’s efficiency and any pathogens’ infectivity. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the coronavirus strain causing the respiratory pandemic coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). To understand the pathobiology of SARS-CoV-2, one needs to unravel the intricacies of host immune response to the virus, the viral pathogen’s mode of transmission, and alterations in specific biological pathways in the host allowing viral survival. This review critically analyzes recent research using high-throughput “omics” technologies (including proteomics and metabolomics) on various biospecimens that allow an increased understanding of the pathobiology of SARS-CoV-2 in humans. The altered biomolecule profile facilitates an understanding of altered biological pathways. Further, we have performed a meta-analysis of significantly altered biomolecular profiles in COVID-19 patients using bioinformatics tools. Our analysis deciphered alterations in the immune response, fatty acid, and amino acid metabolism and other pathways that cumulatively result in COVID-19 disease, including symptoms such as hyperglycemic and hypoxic sequelae.

人类传染病的发生，同等取决于宿主免疫系统的效能与病原体的侵染能力。严重急性呼吸综合征冠状病毒2型（SARS-CoV-2）是引发2019冠状病毒病（COVID-19）这一呼吸道大流行疫情的冠状病毒毒株。要解析SARS-CoV-2的致病机制，需阐明宿主对该病毒的免疫应答细节、该病毒的传播途径，以及宿主体内允许病毒存活的特定生物学通路的改变情况。本综述批判性地分析了近期利用高通量组学（omics）技术——包括蛋白质组学（proteomics）与代谢组学（metabolomics）——对各类生物样本开展的相关研究，这些研究有助于加深我们对SARS-CoV-2在人体内致病机制的认知。差异表达的生物分子谱有助于解析发生改变的生物学通路。此外，本研究利用生物信息学工具，对COVID-19患者体内显著改变的生物分子谱开展了荟萃分析。本分析揭示了免疫应答、脂肪酸与氨基酸代谢等通路的改变，这些通路的变化共同促成了COVID-19的发生发展，包括高血糖、缺氧等后遗症。