In a publication in Nature, the researchers identified 11 key regions in the human genome that are important in the context of susceptibility to coronavirus infection and the course of COVID-19. Among the authors of the publication is a researcher from Poland.
To better understand the biological underpinnings of SARS-CoV-2 infection, thousands of scientists around the world formed the COVID-19 Host Genetics Initiative research team in early 2020, just after the start of the pandemic. Research groups from Poland also joined the group, including a project run by the Białystok Medical University led by Prof. Marcin Moniuszko in collaboration with the Polish biotechnology company IMAGENE.ME.
Is everyone equally susceptible to the coronavirus?
In the latest study, published in Nature, scientists analyzed data from more than 125,500 people. people infected with SARS-CoV-2 and more than 2.5 million controls. These were data from 60 studies from 25 countries. They looked for a genetic basis for severe COVID-19 in some patients, as well as a predisposition to SARS-CoV-2 infection.
– This is a comprehensive study. As many as 11 new regions in the human genome have been identified, the genetic variability of which is important in the context of susceptibility to coronavirus infection and the course of the disease caused by it. Also, 7 DNA regions were selected that are associated with susceptibility to infection, and as many as 16 are associated with the severity of COVID-19, lists co-author of the study from Poland, Dr. Karolina Chwialkowska, cited in the release.
Which gene is responsible for lower susceptibility to COVID-19?
As he adds, a number of genes have been identified that play a role in the processes associated with the so-called pulmonary surfactants, which form a lipid-protein layer covering the alveolar epithelium. – This includes the SFTPD gene, which codes for one of the proteins involved in the innate immune response, thereby protecting the lungs from inhaled microorganisms. Its recombinant fragment binds to a protein of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and potentially inhibits binding to the protein receptor on the surface of human cells, ACE2. This means, simply put, that people who have a specific variant of the SFTPD gene are less susceptible to coronavirus infection, he describes.
Another problem was the identification of protective variants located in the gene encoding the aforementioned ACE2 receptor. The hypothesis about the significance of genetic variability within the gene encoding this receptor was put forward as early as 2020, when the first research work was planned. It turned out that this is a kind of “gateway” for SARS-CoV-2, through which the virus can enter human cells.
– Only now, after examining a huge number of patients from all over the world, it was possible to confirm this hypothesis and identify specific genetic variants, – emphasizes Dr. Chwialkowska. – Interestingly, the results obtained do not indicate the presence of large differences between the populations of different countries of the world in this respect. Initially, we expected that as some countries were more severely affected, perhaps the genetic background would be more diverse, he adds.
Source: Wprost
