Study reveals why SARS coronavirus impacts patients differently

Scientists have previously established that SARS-CoV-2 is inserted into cells by a cell surface receptor known as ACE2, but a recent analysis has shown that the ACE2 receptor is at very low levels in human lung tissue. Scientists at McMaster University (MU) and the University of Waterloo in Canada are looking into how the SARS-CoV-2 virus infects the lungs-and are questioning what has been the known reality regarding the infection.

“Our finding is somewhat controversial, as it suggests that there must be other ways, other receptors for the virus, that regulate its infection of the lungs,” said study researcher Jeremy Hirota from MU.

“We were surprised that the fundamental characterization of the candidate receptors in human lung tissue had not yet been done in a systematic way with modern technologies,” Hirota added.

“Finding such low levels of ACE2 in lung tissue has important implications for how we think about this virus. ACE2 is not the full story and maybe more relevant in other tissues such as the vascular system,” said study researcher Andrew Doxey from Waterloo.

The research uses nasal swabs that have been acquired for clinical evaluation of Covid-19 to investigate possible potential mechanisms of infection and specific patient’s reactions to infection.

Such tests offer an ability to evaluate which genes are expressed in the cells of patients and to correlate this knowledge with the nature of the disease of patients.

The current research will recognize and treat patients at risk of experiencing severe problems and have the predictive potential for hospitals.

It is evident, according to the researchers, that certain individuals react better than others to the same SARS-CoV-2 virus.

The post Study reveals why SARS coronavirus impacts patients differently appeared first on Insights Care.