A new studio has analyzed more than 3,000 proteins to identify which blood groups are causally linked to the development of severe COVID-19. This is the first study to evaluate such a large number of proteins to determine their relationship with COVID-19. These results, published in the journal ‘PLOS Genetics’provide information on possible new targets to treat and prevent severe COVID-19.
Blood groups play a decisive role in developing severe forms of the disease
The study, funded in part by the Maudsley Biomedical Research Center of the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), in the United Kingdom. used a genetic tool to analyze more than 3,000 proteins. The researchers identified six that could underlie a greater risk of severe COVID-19. As well as eight that, on the contrary, could contribute to protection against severe COVID-19.
One of the proteins (ABO) that was identified as having a causal connection to the risk of developing COVID-19 serious determines the blood groups. This suggests that blood groups play a decisive role in people developing severe forms of the disease.
The evaluation of the relationship between blood proteins and disease can help understand underlying mechanisms and identify potential new targets for development or disease. drug conversion. Protein levels can be measured directly from blood samplesbut carrying out this type of research for a large number of proteins is costly and does not allow establishing a causal direction.
Dr. Vincent Millischer, co-author of the study and professor at the Medical University of Vienna (Austria). He explains that “the causality between exposure and disease It can be a determining factor in the development of the disease.
They found six proteins causally linked to an increased risk of hospitalization
The study considered two incremental levels of severity of COVID-19: hospitalization and respiratory support or death. using data from several studies genome-wide association. The researchers found six proteins causally linked to a increased risk of hospitalization or respiratory support or death from COVID-19. In addition to eight causally linked to protection against hospitalization or respiratory assistance or death.
The analysis showed some distinction between the types of proteins linked to hospitalization and those linked to the respiratory support/death. This indicates that different mechanisms may be acting in these two stages of the disease.
The study identified that an enzyme (ABO) that determines the Blood type was causally associated with both a higher risk of hospitalization as to the need respiratory support. This supports previous findings about the association of blood group with a higher probability of death.
Along with previous research showing that the proportion of group A is higher in individuals positive for COVID-19. This suggests that blood group A is a candidate for follow-up studies.
They also identified three molecules that are associated with a lower risk of hospitalization
Co-author Dr Christopher Hübel of the IoPPN at King’s College London adds that “the enzyme helps determine the Blood type of an individual and our study has related it to both the risk of hospitalization as with the need for respiratory assistance or death.
The researchers also identified three adhesion molecules that are associated with a lower risk of hospitalization and need for respiratory assistance. Because these adhesion molecules mediate the interaction between immune cells and blood vesselsthis is consistent with previous research suggesting that late-stage COVID-19 is also a disease that affects the lining of blood vessels.
By identifying this set of proteins, the research has highlighted a number of potential drug targets that could be used to help treat severe COVID-19. These drugs will require a greater clinical researchwhich may be carried out as part of the larger COVID-Clinical Neuroscience Study (COVID-CNS), which is investigating the underlying causes of different aspects of COVID-19.
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