Non-invasive SARS-CoV-2 RNA detection and human transcriptome analysis using skin surface lipids

Sci Rep. 2024 Oct 30;14(1):26057. doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-77862-0.

Abstract

There have been several reports of skin manifestations in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, it is unclear whether severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) RNA can be detected on the skin surface, including the sebum, of these patients. In this study, SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected using real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay of skin surface lipids (SSLs) collected using an oil-blotting film from the faces of hospitalized patients with COVID-19. Human transcriptome analysis was also performed using the same samples. In facial SSLs of patients with COVID-19, the RT-PCR positivity rate was 84.6% (11/13 samples) within 5 days and 30.4% (7/23 samples) by 6-10 days of symptom onset. In the transcriptome analysis, the most characteristic SSL-RNA profile was the upregulation of interferon-stimulated gene (ISG)-related genes, such as ISG15, IFITM1, and MX1. This study presents an alternative technique using SSLs for non-invasive SARS-CoV-2 RNA detection and simultaneous analysis of human molecular pathogenesis in patients with COVID-19.

Keywords: COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; Sebum; Skin; Skin surface lipid; Transcriptome.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • COVID-19* / diagnosis
  • COVID-19* / genetics
  • COVID-19* / virology
  • Cytokines
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Profiling* / methods
  • Humans
  • Lipids
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Myxovirus Resistance Proteins / genetics
  • Myxovirus Resistance Proteins / metabolism
  • RNA, Viral* / genetics
  • SARS-CoV-2* / genetics
  • SARS-CoV-2* / isolation & purification
  • Skin* / metabolism
  • Skin* / virology
  • Transcriptome
  • Ubiquitins / genetics
  • Ubiquitins / metabolism

Substances

  • RNA, Viral
  • Lipids
  • ISG15 protein, human
  • Ubiquitins
  • Myxovirus Resistance Proteins
  • Cytokines