(ANSA) – BOLOGNA, MARCH 16 – Some variants of the human genome have been identified that play a role in the clinical progression of Covid-19 syndrome, caused by Sars-Cov2 infection, in its most severe forms. It is the result of a maxi study resulting from the work of hundreds of researchers from 547 institutions around the world and published in the journal Nature.
The critical form of Covid-19 is caused by immune-mediated inflammatory lung damage. Researchers do not yet know why the course of the disease is extremely severe in some patients and completely asymptomatic in others.
To understand the importance of the host’s genetic background, and how this can affect hospitalization and ICU admission following Sars-Cov2 infection, a study called GenOMICC was launched around the world about a year ago. (Genetics of Mortality in Critical Care), which compares the genomes of critically ill patients with healthy controls, in order to find the underlying pathological mechanisms. The researchers sequenced the entire genome of 7,491 critical cases versus 48,400 controls and identified 23 independent variants that significantly predispose to critical Covid-19.
“Among the variants of importance there are genes responsible for the first response of the host against the virus, that is the one linked to innate immunity, which occurs before the production of antibodies”, explains Andrea Cossarizza di Unimore, one of the scientists involved in the study together. to two other Modena colleagues, Cristina Mussini and Massimo Girardis. “Some of these genes – adds Cossarizza – are involved in the signaling pathways of interferon, another in the differentiation of white blood cells and one in a type of antigen of the blood group family”. Knowing these mechanisms, he points out, takes “steps forward in the battle” against the disease. But “it is essential to continue to defend ourselves with vaccination and individual protection”. (HANDLE).
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