Scientists have solved a mystery of Covid-19, as to why the virus pushes the elderly down while abandoning children. Progress could pave the way for new treatments to combat the epidemic.
Researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center have found that children with low levels of receptor protein, which causes SARS-CoV-2-Covid-19, need to attack the lungs.
“Our study provides biologic reasoning as to why infants and very young children in particular are either less likely to be infected or less likely to have symptoms of a serious disease.” Jennifer Sucker, assistant professor of child research who led the research.
When a virus particle is inhaled into the lungs, a protein ‘spike’ is attached to the ACE2 receptor, which stays on the surface of certain lung cells.
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The cellular enzyme produced in mammals, called TMPRS2, is followed by a spike protein book, which allows the virus. “Break” Cell by fuse with cell membrane. After the infiltration is complete, the virus then hijacks the cell’s genetic machinery and uses it to mimic it.
Scientists were inspired to investigate whether the TMPLSS2 enzyme could explain why older people experience more severe symptoms than children.
“Our research has always focused on understanding lung development and how infant lung trauma differs from adult lungs in vulnerability,” he said. Sucre said. “In this study we actually took the opposite approach, and were able to see how the developed lung is protected from SARS-Covy-2 infection by its differences.”
In a study performed on mice, experts used a technique that could detect the expression of genes in individual cells of lung tissue. This allowed them to track the expression of genes known to be involved in the body’s response to Covid-19 in a timely manner.
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They found that the gene for the ACE2 receptor was expressed at a low level in the mouse’s lungs. Meanwhile, expression increased during development in TMPRS2.
The team then conducted an analysis of human lung tissue collected from donors of different ages and found similar results as found in mice. The enzyme that allows the virus to enter the cell increases significantly with age.
Boffins believes the enzyme can be used to treat people who contract the virus and to protect people at high risk.
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