HIF1A and COVID-19: In a study recruiting 116 hospitalized COVID-19 patients with varying severity, mass cytometry of whole blood found decreased overall T cells and increased activated and cytotoxic CD8+ T cells in more severe cases, indicating a dysregulation of T-cell response in severe COVID-19 disease.117 The two upregulated DElncRNAs HIF1alpha-antisense RNA 1 (HIF1A-AS-1) and retinoid acid receptor-related orphan receptor alpha-antisense 7 (RORA-AS-7) were enriched in differentiation of T-helper cells, which can regulate T-cell differentiation, while the detailed underpinnings merit more investigations.42