Genomics-guided identication of potential modulators of SARS-CoV-2 entry proteases, TMPRSS2 and Cathepsins B/L Kartikay Prasad Amity Institute of Neuropsychology & Neurosciences, Amity University, Noida Vijay Kumar (
[email protected] ) Amity Institute of Neuropsychology & Neurosciences, Amity University, Noida https://orcid.org/0000- 0002-3621-5025 Research Article Keywords: COVID-19, TMPRSS2, Cathepsins, gene set enrichment, estradiol, retinoic acid Posted Date: January 1st, 2021 DOI: https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-138273/v1 License: This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Read Full License Running Title: Targeting SARS-CoV-2 entry Title: Genomics-guided identification of potential modulators of SARS-CoV-2 entry proteases, TMPRSS2 and Cathepsins B/L Kartikay Prasad1, and Vijay Kumar1* 1Amity Institute of Neuropsychology & Neurosciences, Amity University, Noida, UP- 201303, India *Address for Correspondence Vijay Kumar, Ph. D. Assistant Professor Amity Institute of Neuropsychology & Neurosciences, Amity University, Noida, UP- 201313, India E-mail:
[email protected] ORCID: 0000-0002-3621-5025 1 Abstract The entry of SARS-CoV-2 into host cells requires the activation of its spike protein by host cell proteases. The serine protease, transmembrane serine protease 2 (TMPRSS2) and cysteine proteases, cathepsins B, L (CTSB/L) activate spike protein and enabling SARS-CoV-2 entry to the host cell through two completely different and independent pathways. Given that the uncertainty of how SARS-CoV-2 infects and kills, the need for a deep understanding of SARS- CoV-2 biology is imperative. Herein, we performed genomic-guided meta-analysis to identify upstream regulatory elements altering the expression of TMPRSS2 and CTSB/L genes.