SARS-CoV-2: Can sunlight exposure reduce the risk of developing severe consequences of COVID-19?

Jibran Sualeh Muhammad; Ruqaiyyah Siddiqui; Naveed Ahmed Khan

doi:10.1016/j.compbiolchem.2021.107602

SARS-CoV-2: Can sunlight exposure reduce the risk of developing severe consequences of COVID-19?

Comput Biol Chem. 2022 Feb:96:107602. doi: 10.1016/j.compbiolchem.2021.107602. Epub 2021 Nov 20.

Authors

Jibran Sualeh Muhammad¹, Ruqaiyyah Siddiqui², Naveed Ahmed Khan³

Affiliations

¹ College of Medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. Electronic address: jmuhammad@sharjah.ac.ae.
² College of Arts and Sciences, American University of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
³ College of Medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. Electronic address: nkhan@sharjah.ac.ae.

Abstract

Herein it is proposed that sufficient exposure to sunlight (UVB) modulates host gene expression, offering protection against severe consequences of COVID-19. This could be in addition to sunlight (UVB)-mediated protection by directly inactivating the virus and limiting the viral load. It is suggested that inhibition of CCR2, DPP9, HSPA1L, IFNAR2, OAS1, and TYK2 may, in part, explain UVB-mediated protection against severe consequences of COVID-19.

Keywords: COVID-19; Disease severity; Genetic changes; SARS-CoV-2; UVB radiation.

MeSH terms

COVID-19 / genetics
COVID-19 / prevention & control*
COVID-19 / therapy
Computational Biology
Gene Expression / radiation effects
Gene Expression Profiling
Heliotherapy
Humans
Models, Biological
SARS-CoV-2*
Severity of Illness Index
Sunlight*
Ultraviolet Rays