Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40280971›Full record

ArticleScientific reports2025

TAS2R38 gene methylation is associated with syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and clinical symptoms.

Melania Melis, Eleonora Loi, Giacomo Aru, Giorgia Sollai, Mariano Mastinu, Lala Chaimae Naciri, Giacomo De Riu, Luigi Angelo Vaira, Giulia Costanzo, Davide Firinu and 5 more

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In one paragraph

Article in Scientific reports, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

15 authors.

Melania MelisDepartment of Biomedical Sciences, Unit of Physiology, University of Cagliari, Monserrato, 09042, CA, Italy. melaniamelis@unica.it.
Eleonora LoiDepartment of Biomedical Sciences, Unit of Biology and Genetics, University of Cagliari, Monserrato, 09042, CA, Italy.
Giacomo AruDepartment of Biomedical Sciences, Unit of Biology and Genetics, University of Cagliari, Monserrato, 09042, CA, Italy.
Giorgia SollaiDepartment of Biomedical Sciences, Unit of Physiology, University of Cagliari, Monserrato, 09042, CA, Italy.
Mariano MastinuDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, Smell & Taste Clinic, Technical University of Dresden, Dresden, 01307, Germany.
Lala Chaimae NaciriDepartment of Biomedical Sciences, Unit of Physiology, University of Cagliari, Monserrato, 09042, CA, Italy.
Giacomo De RiuMaxillofacial Surgery Unit, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Pharmacy, University of Sassari, Sassari, 07100, Italy.
Luigi Angelo VairaMaxillofacial Surgery Unit, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Pharmacy, University of Sassari, Sassari, 07100, Italy.
Giulia CostanzoDepartment of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari, Monserrato, 09042, CA, Italy.
Davide FirinuDepartment of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari, Monserrato, 09042, CA, Italy.
Paola CabrasDepartment of Internal Medicine, Hospital SS. Trinità, ATS, Cagliari, 09121, Italy.
Aldo CaddoriDepartment of Internal Medicine, Hospital SS. Trinità, ATS, Cagliari, 09121, Italy.
Roberto CrnjarDepartment of Biomedical Sciences, Unit of Physiology, University of Cagliari, Monserrato, 09042, CA, Italy.
Patrizia ZavattariDepartment of Biomedical Sciences, Unit of Biology and Genetics, University of Cagliari, Monserrato, 09042, CA, Italy.
Iole Tomassini BarbarossaDepartment of Biomedical Sciences, Unit of Physiology, University of Cagliari, Monserrato, 09042, CA, Italy.

Funding

Fondazione di Sardegna - Convenzione triennale 2021-2023 F73C22001230007Fondazione di Sardegna -Convenzione triennale 2022-2024 F73C22001270007POS Italian Health Ministry 2023 F53C22000580001UniCA - Progetti di Ricerca Start-Up D.M. 737/2021 F25F21002720001
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

TAS2R38 is the T2R receptor primarily associated with the innate immune response of the respiratory system. It activates a response mediated by nitric oxide (NO), which has been shown to inhibit the replication of SARS-CoV-2. TAS2R38 polymorphisms (SNPs) that decrease receptor functionality contributing to individual differences in susceptibility to airway infections. DNA methylation (DNAm) may affect gene expression influencing disease development, including COVID-19. We analyzed the effect of SARS-CoV-2 on the methylation pattern of TAS2R38 (at cg25481253, a CpG site located in the coding region) during infection and after the cessation of the exposure to the virus, also considering the disease severity and TAS2R38 SNPs. Our results showed a positive relationship between TAS2R38 DNAm levels and disease severity in the COVID-19 patients and a return to a normal state after the infection. In addition, our results showed an association between DNAm level and the TAS2R38 genotype in participants who recovered from the disease. PAV/PAV genotypes showed lower TAS2R38 DNAm levels than heterozygous and AVI homozygous. In conclusion, our results clearly indicate the involvement of TAS2R38 DNAm alteration in COVID-19 severity and suggest a role of the methylation changes at cg25481253 in the regulation of the TAS2R38 expression.

Indexed as

COVID-19DNA MethylationReceptors, G-Protein-CoupledAdultAgedFemaleGenetic Predisposition to DiseaseGenotypeHumansMaleMiddle AgedPolymorphism, Single NucleotideSARS-CoV-2Severity of Illness IndexTaste Receptors, Type 2Receptors, G-Protein-CoupledTaste Receptors, Type 2COVID-19SNPs of TAS2R38 geneTAS2R38 gene methylationTAS2R38 receptor

Identifiers

PMID40280971
PMCPMC12032294

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.