Antioksidativna aktivnost ferementiranih i nefermentiranih esktrakata iz otpada nastalog pri proizvodnji kave

Coffee pulp contains natural antioxidants like hydroxycinnamic acids, most of which are covalently linked to the cell wall. These compounds can be released by fermentation or enzymatic processes. In this study, the antioxidant properties of fermented and nonfermented coffee pulp have been evaluated. Coffee pulp was fermented by solid-state fermentation using the fungus Aspergillus tamarii. Fermented and nonfermented samples of coffee pulp were extracted with aqueous methanol followed by alkaline hydrolysis. In both cases, the total polyphenol concentration was quantified by Folin-Ciocalteu method, then hydroxycinnamic acids were concentrated using ethyl acetate and quantified by HPLC. The antioxidant properties of samples were determined by radical monocation of 2,2’-azinobis-( 3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) [ABTS]·+: the antioxidant activity was determined by kinetic parameters known as ED50, tED50 and antiradical efficiency (AE). Fermented extracts containing free hydroxycinnamic acids showed better antiradical activity against [ABTS]·+ than the other nonfermented ones. There were no significant differences in the total content of polyphenols in fermented and nonfermented coffee pulp, but the content of total hydroxycinnamic acids was higher in the nonfermented coffee pulp extracts (47.1 g/kg) than in the fermented coffee pulp (30.9 g/kg). Nevertheless, the fermentation process increased the fraction of free hydroxycinnamic acids (47 %) and consequently decreased those covalently linked to the cell wall. The results of the antioxidant activity assays could be explained by the presence of free hydroxycinnamic acids. Fermented coffee pulp assays showed that free hydroxycinnamic acids were metabolised by A. tamarii. This study shows the potential of using coffee pulp as a natural source of antioxidants.Otpad nastao pri proizvodnji kave sadržava prirodne antioksidanse, kao što su hidroksicinamične kiseline, od kojih je većina kovalentno vezana za staničnu stijenku. Takvi se spojevi mogu osloboditi fermentacijom ili pomoću enzima. U ovom su radu istražena antioksidativna svojstva fermentiranih i nefermentiranih esktrakata, pri čemu je fermentacija provedena s pomoću plijesni Aspergillus tamarii na čvrstoj podlozi od otpada nastalog pri proizvodnji kave. Fermentirani i nefermentirani spojevi esktrahirani su vodenom otopinom metanola, nakon čega je provedena njihova alkalna hidroliza. U oba je slučaja koncentracija ukupnih polifenola određena Folin-Ciocalteu metodom, a zatim su hidroksicinamične kiseline koncentrirane pomoću etil acetata i analizirane HPLC-om. Antioksidativna su svojstva uzoraka, tj. vrijednosti ED50 i tED50 te antiradikalni učinak, određena pomoću radikala 2,2\u27-azinobis(3-etilbenzotiazolin-6-sulfonske kiseline) [ABTS].+. Fermentirani su ekstrakti sadržavali slobodne hidroksicinamične kiseline i imali su bolju antioksidativnu aktivnost s obzirom na [ABTS].+ od nefermentiranih ekstrakata. Nije bilo bitne razlike u koncentracijama ukupnih polifenola u fermentiranim i nefermentiranim ekstraktima, ali je udio hidroksicinamičnih kiselina bio veći u nefermentiranim (47,1 g/kg) nego u fermentiranim ekstraktima (30,9 g/kg). Fermentacija je povećala udjel slobodnih (na 47 %), a smanjila udjel vezanih hidroksicinamičnih kiselina. Zaključeno je da je antioksidativna aktivnost ekstrakata ovisila o udjelu slobodnih hidroksicinamičnih kiselina, koji se povećao nakon fermentacije otpada nastalog pri proizvodnji kave s pomoću A. tamarii. Time je potvrđeno da se postupak može primijeniti za ekstrakciju prirodnih antioksidanasa

Aktivnost feruloil esteraze proizvedene fermentacijom na čvrstoj podlozi od otpada nastalog pri proizvodnji kave

Hydroxycinnamic acids (HAs) have a potential application in the food and pharmaceutical industry because they are rich in phenolics. Feruloyl esterases release phenolic compounds from plant cell walls. Coffee pulp is rich in HAs linked to polysaccharides. A solvent extraction of free HAs was performed with aqueous methanol (80 %). A response surface methodology was applied to optimise the extraction of these compounds from coffee pulp, and the best results were obtained at 56 °C for 34 min. Alkaline and acid hydrolyses were performed to evaluate the content of linked HAs. Treated (extracted) coffee pulp was used to produce feruloyl esterases in solid-state fermentation by Aspergillus tamarii V12307, previously selected by a hydrolysis plate assay. Different dilutions of a culture medium were added to the coffee pulp, and the diluted medium with half the nutrients allowed for higher CO2 production. A specific growth rate (μCO2 ) of 0.25 h^–1 and a lag phase (tlag) of 14.3 h were observed under the selected conditions. Finally, enzymatic activities were 14.0 and 10.8 nkat per g of dried matter when methyl and ethyl ferulate were used as substrates, respectively. Productivities (9.3 and 7.2 nkat per g of dried matter per day, respectively) were higher when compared to other studies carried out in solid-state fermentation. Utilisation of coffee pulp for enzyme production improves the added value of this abundant by-product of the coffee industry.Hidroksicinamične se kiseline mogu upotrijebiti u prehrambenoj i farmaceutskoj industriji, jer su bogate fenolima, koje enzim feruloil esteraza oslobađa iz staničnih stijenki biljaka. Otpad koji nastaje pri proizvodnji kave bogat je hidroksicinamičnim kiselinama vezanim za polisaharide. Ekstrakcija tih spojeva vodenom otopinom metanola (80 %) optimirana je pomoću metode odzivnih površina, a najbolji su rezultati postignuti pri 56 °C tijekom 34 minute. Alkalnom je i kiselom hidrolizom procijenjen udio vezanih hidroksicinamičnih kiselina. Pomoću odabranoga soja Aspergillus tamarii V12307 proizvedena je feruloil esteraza fermentacijom na čvrstoj podlozi od otpada nastalog pri proizvodnji kave. Otpadu su dodana različita razrjeđenja podloge za uzgoj, pri čemu je proizvedeno više CO2 primjenom podloge koja sadržava 50 % hranjiva. Pritom je specifična brzina rasta (μCO2) bila 0,25 h-1, a lag je faza (tlag) iznosila 14,3 h. Uporabom metil ferulata kao supstrata postignuta je aktivnost enzima od 14 nkat/g suhe tvari i produktivnost od 9,3 nkat/g suhe tvari po danu, dok je pomoću etil ferulata dobivena aktivnost enzima od 10,8 nkat/g suhe tvari i produktivnost od 7,2 nkat/g suhe tvari po danu. Produktivnost je procesa bila veća nego u prijašnjim istraživanjima. Primjenom otpada nastalog pri proizvodnji kave u proizvodnji enzima povećala se dodana vrijednost tog nusproizvoda

Antioxidant Activity of Fermented and Nonfermented Coffee (Coffea arabica) Pulp Extracts

Coffee pulp contains natural antioxidants like hydroxycinnamic acids, most of which are covalently linked to the cell wall. These compounds can be released by fermentation or enzymatic processes. In this study, the antioxidant properties of fermented and nonfermented coffee pulp have been evaluated. Coffee pulp was fermented by solid-state fermentation using the fungus Aspergillus tamarii. Fermented and nonfermented samples of coffee pulp were extracted with aqueous methanol followed by alkaline hydrolysis. In both cases, the total polyphenol concentration was quantified by Folin-Ciocalteu method, then hydroxycinnamic acids were concentrated using ethyl acetate and quantified by HPLC. The antioxidant properties of samples were determined by radical monocation of 2,2’-azinobis-( 3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) [ABTS]·+: the antioxidant activity was determined by kinetic parameters known as ED50, tED50 and antiradical efficiency (AE). Fermented extracts containing free hydroxycinnamic acids showed better antiradical activity against [ABTS]·+ than the other nonfermented ones. There were no significant differences in the total content of polyphenols in fermented and nonfermented coffee pulp, but the content of total hydroxycinnamic acids was higher in the nonfermented coffee pulp extracts (47.1 g/kg) than in the fermented coffee pulp (30.9 g/kg). Nevertheless, the fermentation process increased the fraction of free hydroxycinnamic acids (47 %) and consequently decreased those covalently linked to the cell wall. The results of the antioxidant activity assays could be explained by the presence of free hydroxycinnamic acids. Fermented coffee pulp assays showed that free hydroxycinnamic acids were metabolised by A. tamarii. This study shows the potential of using coffee pulp as a natural source of antioxidants

Feruloyl Esterase Activity from Coffee Pulp in Solid-State Fermentation

Hydroxycinnamic acids (HAs) have a potential application in the food and pharmaceutical industry because they are rich in phenolics. Feruloyl esterases release phenolic compounds from plant cell walls. Coffee pulp is rich in HAs linked to polysaccharides. A solvent extraction of free HAs was performed with aqueous methanol (80 %). A response surface methodology was applied to optimise the extraction of these compounds from coffee pulp, and the best results were obtained at 56 °C for 34 min. Alkaline and acid hydrolyses were performed to evaluate the content of linked HAs. Treated (extracted) coffee pulp was used to produce feruloyl esterases in solid-state fermentation by Aspergillus tamarii V12307, previously selected by a hydrolysis plate assay. Different dilutions of a culture medium were added to the coffee pulp, and the diluted medium with half the nutrients allowed for higher CO2 production. A specific growth rate (μCO2 ) of 0.25 h^–1 and a lag phase (tlag) of 14.3 h were observed under the selected conditions. Finally, enzymatic activities were 14.0 and 10.8 nkat per g of dried matter when methyl and ethyl ferulate were used as substrates, respectively. Productivities (9.3 and 7.2 nkat per g of dried matter per day, respectively) were higher when compared to other studies carried out in solid-state fermentation. Utilisation of coffee pulp for enzyme production improves the added value of this abundant by-product of the coffee industry

Analytical Validation of Quantitative Real-Time PCR Methods for Quantification of Trypanosoma cruzi DNA in Blood Samples from Chagas Disease Patients

Submitted by sandra infurna ([email protected]) on 2016-03-01T11:27:17Z No. of bitstreams: 1 constança_brito_etal_IOC_2015.pdf: 498816 bytes, checksum: a4657816d73aedff572e1e40cccfba4a (MD5)Approved for entry into archive by sandra infurna ([email protected]) on 2016-03-01T14:37:34Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 constança_brito_etal_IOC_2015.pdf: 498816 bytes, checksum: a4657816d73aedff572e1e40cccfba4a (MD5)Made available in DSpace on 2016-03-01T14:37:34Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 constança_brito_etal_IOC_2015.pdf: 498816 bytes, checksum: a4657816d73aedff572e1e40cccfba4a (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular (INGEBI-CONICET). Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Chagas Disease (LaBMECh). Buenos Aires, Argentina.Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular (INGEBI-CONICET). Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Chagas Disease (LaBMECh). Buenos Aires, Argentina.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Doenças Endêmicas. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Universidade Federal do Triângulo Mineiro. Laboratório da Disciplina de Patologia. Uberaba, MG, Brasil.Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular (INGEBI-CONICET). Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Chagas Disease (LaBMECh). Buenos Aires, Argentina.National Institute of Parasitology “Dr. Mario Fatala Chabén”. Buenos Aires, Argentina.Universidad de Los Andes. Center for Research in Tropical Microbiology and Parasitology. Bogotá, Colombia.CONICET-Universidad Nacional de Salta. The Institute of Experimental Pathology. Salta, Argentina.Pontificia Universidad Javeriana. Laboratory of Molecular Parasitology. Bogota, Colombia.Instituto de Salud Carlos III. National Center for Microbiology. Madrid, Spain.Universidad Central de Venezuela. Institute of Tropical Medicine. Caracas, Venezuela.Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. Biomedical Research Institute. Mexico, DF, Mexico.Instituto Nacional de Laboratorios en Salud. Laboratory of Parasitology and Molecular Biology. La Paz, Bolivia.Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte. Departamento de Microbiologia e Parasitologia. Natal, RN, Brasil.Hospital and University LaboratoryCH Andrée Rosemon. Cayenne, French Guiana.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria. Atlanta, Georgia, USA.Instituto Nacional de Salud. National Center for Public Health. Lima, Peru.Instituto Nacional de Cardiología “Ignacio Chávez”. Laboratory of Genomics. Mexico, DF, Mexico.Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia. Laboratory for Research in Infectious Diseases. Lima, Peru.Universidad de los Andes. Department of Biology. Merida, Venezuela.Instituto Pasteur de Montevideo. Molecular Biology Unit. Montevideo, Uruguay.Universidad de Chile. Basic Clinical Parasitology Laboratory. Santiago, Chile.Pontificia Universidad Católica de Ecuador. Research Center for Infectious Diseases. Quito, Ecuador.Hospital Clinic and Barcelona Centre for International Health Research (CRESIB). Microbiology Department. Barcelona, Spain.State Laboratory of Public Health. Acapulco, Mexico.Instituto de Salud Pública. Biomedical Department. Santiago, Chile.Universidad Mayor de San Simón. Laboratory of Molecular Biology. Cochabamba, Bolivia.Universidad Nacional de Asunción. Research Institute for Health Sciences. Asuncion, Paraguay.Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular (INGEBI-CONICET). Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Chagas Disease (LaBMECh). Buenos Aires, Argentina.Universidad Mayor de San Simón. Laboratory of Molecular Biology. Cochabamba, Bolivia.Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte. Departamento de Microbiologia e Parasitologia. Natal, RN, Brasil.Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte. Departamento de Microbiologia e Parasitologia. Natal, RN, Brasil.Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. Biomedical Research Institute. Mexico, DF, Mexico.Universidad Central de Venezuela. Institute of Tropical Medicine. Caracas, Venezuela.Pontificia Universidad Javeriana. Laboratory of Molecular Parasitology. Bogota, Colombia.National Institute of Parasitology “Dr. Mario Fatala Chabén”. Buenos Aires, Argentina.CONICET-Universidad Nacional de Salta. The Institute of Experimental Pathology. Salta, Argentina.National Institute of Parasitology “Dr. Mario Fatala Chabén”. Buenos Aires, Argentina.Universidad de Los Andes. Center for Research in Tropical Microbiology and Parasitology. Bogotá, Colombia.Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative (DNDi). Geneva, SwitzerlandHospital and University LaboratoryCH Andrée Rosemon. Cayenne, French Guiana.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Doenças Endêmicas. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO). Communicable Diseases and Health Analysis Department/WHO). Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular (INGEBI-CONICET). Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Chagas Disease (LaBMECh). Buenos Aires, Argentina.An international study was performed by 26 experienced PCR laboratories from 14 countries to assess the performance of duplex quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) strategies on the basis of TaqMan probes for detection and quantification of parasitic loads in peripheral blood samples from Chagas disease patients. Two methods were studied: Satellite DNA (SatDNA) qPCR and kinetoplastid DNA (kDNA) qPCR. Both methods included an internal amplification control. Reportable range, analytical sensitivity, limits of detection and quantification, and precision were estimated according to international guidelines. In addition, inclusivity and exclusivity were estimated with DNA from stocks representing the different Trypanosoma cruzi discrete typing units and Trypanosoma rangeli and Leishmania spp. Both methods were challenged against 156 blood samples provided by the participant laboratories, including samples from acute and chronic patients with varied clinical findings, infected by oral route or vectorial transmission. kDNA qPCR showed better analytical sensitivity than SatDNA qPCR with limits of detection of 0.23 and 0.70 parasite equivalents/mL, respectively. Analyses of clinical samples revealed a high concordance in terms of sensitivity and parasitic loads determined by both SatDNA and kDNA qPCRs. This effort is a major step toward international validation of qPCR methods for the quantification of T. cruzi DNA in human blood samples, aiming to provide an accurate surrogate biomarker for diagnosis and treatment monitoring for patients with Chagas disease

Efficacy and safety of the CVnCoV SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccine candidate in ten countries in Europe and Latin America (HERALD): a randomised, observer-blinded, placebo-controlled, phase 2b/3 trial

Background: Additional safe and efficacious vaccines are needed to control the COVID-19 pandemic. We aimed to analyse the efficacy and safety of the CVnCoV SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccine candidate. Methods: HERALD is a randomised, observer-blinded, placebo-controlled, phase 2b/3 clinical trial conducted in 47 centres in ten countries in Europe and Latin America. By use of an interactive web response system and stratification by country and age group (18–60 years and ≥61 years), adults with no history of virologically confirmed COVID-19 were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive intramuscularly either two 0·6 mL doses of CVnCoV containing 12 μg of mRNA or two 0·6 mL doses of 0·9% NaCl (placebo) on days 1 and 29. The primary efficacy endpoint was the occurrence of a first episode of virologically confirmed symptomatic COVID-19 of any severity and caused by any strain from 15 days after the second dose. For the primary endpoint, the trial was considered successful if the lower limit of the CI was greater than 30%. Key secondary endpoints were the occurrence of a first episode of virologically confirmed moderate-to-severe COVID-19, severe COVID-19, and COVID-19 of any severity by age group. Primary safety outcomes were solicited local and systemic adverse events within 7 days after each dose and unsolicited adverse events within 28 days after each dose in phase 2b participants, and serious adverse events and adverse events of special interest up to 1 year after the second dose in phase 2b and phase 3 participants. Here, we report data up to June 18, 2021. The study is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04652102, and EudraCT, 2020–003998–22, and is ongoing. Findings: Between Dec 11, 2020, and April 12, 2021, 39 680 participants were enrolled and randomly assigned to receive either CVnCoV (n=19 846) or placebo (n=19 834), of whom 19 783 received at least one dose of CVnCoV and 19 746 received at least one dose of placebo. After a mean observation period of 48·2 days (SE 0·2), 83 cases of COVID-19 occurred in the CVnCoV group (n=12 851) in 1735·29 person-years and 145 cases occurred in the placebo group (n=12 211) in 1569·87 person-years, resulting in an overall vaccine efficacy against symptomatic COVID-19 of 48·2% (95·826% CI 31·0–61·4; p=0·016). Vaccine efficacy against moderate-to-severe COVID-19 was 70·7% (95% CI 42·5–86·1; CVnCoV 12 cases in 1735·29 person-years, placebo 37 cases in 1569·87 person-years). In participants aged 18–60 years, vaccine efficacy against symptomatic disease was 52·5% (95% CI 36·2–64·8; CVnCoV 71 cases in 1591·47 person-years, placebo, 136 cases in 1449·23 person-years). Too few cases occurred in participants aged 61 years or older (CVnCoV 12, placebo nine) to allow meaningful assessment of vaccine efficacy. Solicited adverse events, which were mostly systemic, were more common in CVnCoV recipients (1933 [96·5%] of 2003) than in placebo recipients (1344 [67·9%] of 1978), with 542 (27·1%) CVnCoV recipients and 61 (3·1%) placebo recipients reporting grade 3 solicited adverse events. The most frequently reported local reaction after any dose in the CVnCoV group was injection-site pain (1678 [83·6%] of 2007), with 22 grade 3 reactions, and the most frequently reported systematic reactions were fatigue (1603 [80·0%] of 2003) and headache (1541 [76·9%] of 2003). 82 (0·4%) of 19 783 CVnCoV recipients reported 100 serious adverse events and 66 (0·3%) of 19 746 placebo recipients reported 76 serious adverse events. Eight serious adverse events in five CVnCoV recipients and two serious adverse events in two placebo recipients were considered vaccination-related. None of the fatal serious adverse events reported (eight in the CVnCoV group and six in the placebo group) were considered to be related to study vaccination. Adverse events of special interest were reported for 38 (0·2%) participants in the CVnCoV group and 31 (0·2%) participants in the placebo group. These events were considered to be related to the trial vaccine for 14 (<0·1%) participants in the CVnCoV group and for five (<0·1%) participants in the placebo group. Interpretation: CVnCoV was efficacious in the prevention of COVID-19 of any severity and had an acceptable safety profile. Taking into account the changing environment, including the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants, and timelines for further development, the decision has been made to cease activities on the CVnCoV candidate and to focus efforts on the development of next-generation vaccine candidates. Funding: German Federal Ministry of Education and Research and CureVac

Evaluation of a quality improvement intervention to reduce anastomotic leak following right colectomy (EAGLE): pragmatic, batched stepped-wedge, cluster-randomized trial in 64 countries

Background Anastomotic leak affects 8 per cent of patients after right colectomy with a 10-fold increased risk of postoperative death. The EAGLE study aimed to develop and test whether an international, standardized quality improvement intervention could reduce anastomotic leaks. Methods The internationally intended protocol, iteratively co-developed by a multistage Delphi process, comprised an online educational module introducing risk stratification, an intraoperative checklist, and harmonized surgical techniques. Clusters (hospital teams) were randomized to one of three arms with varied sequences of intervention/data collection by a derived stepped-wedge batch design (at least 18 hospital teams per batch). Patients were blinded to the study allocation. Low- and middle-income country enrolment was encouraged. The primary outcome (assessed by intention to treat) was anastomotic leak rate, and subgroup analyses by module completion (at least 80 per cent of surgeons, high engagement; less than 50 per cent, low engagement) were preplanned. Results A total 355 hospital teams registered, with 332 from 64 countries (39.2 per cent low and middle income) included in the final analysis. The online modules were completed by half of the surgeons (2143 of 4411). The primary analysis included 3039 of the 3268 patients recruited (206 patients had no anastomosis and 23 were lost to follow-up), with anastomotic leaks arising before and after the intervention in 10.1 and 9.6 per cent respectively (adjusted OR 0.87, 95 per cent c.i. 0.59 to 1.30; P = 0.498). The proportion of surgeons completing the educational modules was an influence: the leak rate decreased from 12.2 per cent (61 of 500) before intervention to 5.1 per cent (24 of 473) after intervention in high-engagement centres (adjusted OR 0.36, 0.20 to 0.64; P &lt; 0.001), but this was not observed in low-engagement hospitals (8.3 per cent (59 of 714) and 13.8 per cent (61 of 443) respectively; adjusted OR 2.09, 1.31 to 3.31). Conclusion Completion of globally available digital training by engaged teams can alter anastomotic leak rates. Registration number: NCT04270721 (http://www.clinicaltrials.gov)

Rare predicted loss-of-function variants of type I IFN immunity genes are associated with life-threatening COVID-19

BackgroundWe previously reported that impaired type I IFN activity, due to inborn errors of TLR3- and TLR7-dependent type I interferon (IFN) immunity or to autoantibodies against type I IFN, account for 15-20% of cases of life-threatening COVID-19 in unvaccinated patients. Therefore, the determinants of life-threatening COVID-19 remain to be identified in similar to 80% of cases.MethodsWe report here a genome-wide rare variant burden association analysis in 3269 unvaccinated patients with life-threatening COVID-19, and 1373 unvaccinated SARS-CoV-2-infected individuals without pneumonia. Among the 928 patients tested for autoantibodies against type I IFN, a quarter (234) were positive and were excluded.ResultsNo gene reached genome-wide significance. Under a recessive model, the most significant gene with at-risk variants was TLR7, with an OR of 27.68 (95%CI 1.5-528.7, P=1.1x10(-4)) for biochemically loss-of-function (bLOF) variants. We replicated the enrichment in rare predicted LOF (pLOF) variants at 13 influenza susceptibility loci involved in TLR3-dependent type I IFN immunity (OR=3.70[95%CI 1.3-8.2], P=2.1x10(-4)). This enrichment was further strengthened by (1) adding the recently reported TYK2 and TLR7 COVID-19 loci, particularly under a recessive model (OR=19.65[95%CI 2.1-2635.4], P=3.4x10(-3)), and (2) considering as pLOF branchpoint variants with potentially strong impacts on splicing among the 15 loci (OR=4.40[9%CI 2.3-8.4], P=7.7x10(-8)). Finally, the patients with pLOF/bLOF variants at these 15 loci were significantly younger (mean age [SD]=43.3 [20.3] years) than the other patients (56.0 [17.3] years; P=1.68x10(-5)).ConclusionsRare variants of TLR3- and TLR7-dependent type I IFN immunity genes can underlie life-threatening COVID-19, particularly with recessive inheritance, in patients under 60 years old