%0 Journal Article %A Yijun Wang %A Jinbao Huang %A Yong Sun %A Jun He %A Weiwei Li %A Zhirong Liu %A Ethan Will Taylor %A Margaret P Rayman %A Xiaochun Wan %A Jinsong Zhang %T SARS-CoV-2 suppresses mRNA expression of selenoproteins associated with ferroptosis, endoplasmic reticulum stress and DNA synthesis %D 2020 %R 10.1101/2020.07.31.230243 %J bioRxiv %P 2020.07.31.230243 %X A significant, positive association between selenium status and prognosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection has been identified among COVID-19 patients in China. Moreover, a German study revealed a pronounced deficit of serum selenium and SELENOP concentrations in COVID-19 patients, and selenium deficiency was associated with mortality risk from COVID-19. The present study investigated the influence of SARS-CoV-2 on gene expression of host selenoproteins which mediate many beneficial actions of selenium. We found that SARS-CoV-2 suppressed mRNA expression of selenoproteins associated with ferroptosis (GPX4), endoplasmic reticulum stress (SELENOF, SELENOK, SELENOM and SELENOS) and DNA synthesis (TXNRD3), while SARS-CoV-2 increased gene expression of IL-6 (an inflammatory cytokine positively correlated with severity of COVID-19), in Vero cells. These results provide a deeper insight into the connection between selenium and SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis.Competing Interest StatementThe authors have declared no competing interest. %U https://www.biorxiv.org/content/biorxiv/early/2020/08/04/2020.07.31.230243.full.pdf