Common variants at 21q22.3 locus influence MX1 and TMPRSS2 gene expression and susceptibility to severe COVID-19

Genetic analysis of human chromosome 21 from 6,406 COVID-19 patients and 902,088 control individuals demonstrated that single nucleotide polymorphisms in TMPRSS2 and near MX1 gene are associated with severe COVID-19. TMPRSS2 plays an important role of SARS-CoV-2 infection during entering to target cells, and MX1 is involved in host interferon responses.