New Delhi: In a latest research, scientists have shed light on the factor that could be critically contributing to severe forms of Covid-19 by identifying the protein responsible for the virus.
The protein has been identified by Kent’s School of Biosciences and the Institute of Medical Virology at Goethe-University. The study titled ‘A potential role of CD47-SIRPalpha axis in COVID-19 pathogenesis’ has been published by the scientific journal Current Issues in Molecular Biology.
What are the conclusions?
SARS-CoV-2 is the coronavirus that causes Covid-19. While many individuals develop only mild or no symptoms upon SARS-CoV-2 infection, others develop serious, life-threatening illnesses.
The research found that infection of cells with SARS-CoV-2 resulted in increased levels of a protein called CD47 on the cell surface. Referred to as “don’t eat me,” CD47 sends signals to the immune system’s defenses that prevent cells from being destroyed. According to ANI, virus-induced CD47 on the surface of infected cells is likely to protect them from the recognition of the immune system, leading to the production of virus in large quantities, resulting in more severe disease.
According to research, known risk factors for severe COVID-19 including old age and diabetes are associated with higher CD47 levels. High CD47 levels also contribute to high blood pressure, which is a major risk factor for COVID-19 complications such as heart attack, stroke and kidney disease.
In fact, research suggested that age and virus-induced high CD47 levels contribute to severe COVID-19 by preventing an effective immune response and increasing tissue and organ damage associated with the disease.
Since a treatment targeting CD47 is in development, this discovery could lead to improvements in the treatment of COVID-19.
(PTI With inputs from the new agency.)
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