Researchers analyzed blood from 126 people and found 1,466 RNA-editing changes across 514 genes linked to COVID-19 outcomes. The largest differences appeared in intensive-care patients, especially men. Immune-related genes changed, while higher editing in the CTSS gene stabilized its message.
The pattern appeared mainly in the sickest patients, not simply in people with any infection. Because RNA editing helps tune immune responses, the findings suggest a way to explain why severe COVID-19 can affect men differently. Cathepsin S (CTSS) editing may help identify the sickest patients, but it is not yet a proven clinical test.
✦ Severe illness, not infection alone, appears to disrupt RNA editing, especially in men.