SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 and its relationship with NOD2 and ubiquitination

Abstract

COVID-19 infection activates the immune system to cause autoimmune and autoinflammatory diseases. We provide a comprehensive review of the relationship between SARS-CoV-2, NOD2 and ubiquitination. COVID-19 infection partly results from host inborn errors and genetic factors and can lead to autoinflammatory disease. The interaction between defective NOD2 and viral infection may trigger NOD2-associated disease. SARS-CoV-2 can alter UBA1 and abnormal ubiquitination leading to VEXAS syndrome. Both NOD2 and ubiquitination play important roles in controlling inflammatory process. Receptor interacting protein kinase 2 is a key component of the NOD2 activation pathway and becomes ubiquitinated to recruit downstream effector proteins. NOD2 mutations result in loss of ubiquitin binding and increase ligand-stimulated NOD2 signaling. During viral infection, mutations of either NOD2 or UBA1 genes or in combination can facilitate autoinflammatory disease. COVID-19 infection can cause autoinflammatory disease. There are reciprocal interactions between SARS-CoV-2, NOD2 and ubiquitination.

Keywords: Autoinflammatory disease; COVID-19; NOD2; SARS-CoV-2; Ubiquitination; VEXAS syndrome; Yao syndrome.