Arushi Bidhuri
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Written By: Arushi Bidhuri | Updated : September 27, 2021 12:50 PM IST
High Levels Of CD47 Protein Increase Risk Of Severe Covid-19 In People
Why do some patients with Covid-19 have serious, even life-threatening consequences, while others have none or just minor symptoms? Ever since the disease was declared a pandemic, scientists have been studying the endless prospects of coronavirus that may lead to the severity of the disease. So far, researchers have found that some of the contributing factors that may lead to severe consequences post-Covid include age, people with underlying conditions, immune deficiency, etc. But there is so much that is unknown about the disease.
However, a new study has found a specific protein in a person that may cause severe Covid-19. A protein called CD47 in a person may contribute to the severity of Covid-19 infections.
As per the study published in the journal Current Issues in Molecular Biology, SARS-CoV-2 infection causes elevated levels of a protein called CD47 on the cell surface. CD47 sends a 'do not eat me' message to the immune system's defences, preventing cells from being destroyed. Virus-induced CD47 on the surface of infected cells is thought to protect them from immune system detection, allowing them to produce more viruses and cause more severe disease.
Researcher Martin Michaelis from the University of Kent said, "We may have identified a major factor associated with severe COVID-19. This is a huge step in combatting the disease, and we can now look forward to further progress in the design of therapeutics."
The problem is that the CD47 protein instructs the immune system not to harm it, and if it is in the way, the immune system will be unable to respond. The protein's function is to tell the immune system not to target healthy cells. According to researchers, when the virus infects human cells, more of that protein appears on the surface. This prevents the immune system from recognising the threat, allowing the virus to proliferate, cause further symptoms, and perhaps kill the body.
Higher CD47 levels are linked to well-known risk factors for severe COVID-19, such as advanced age and diabetes. High CD47 levels also increase blood pressure, which is a major risk factor for COVID-19 consequences such as heart attack, stroke, and kidney failure. The findings show that increased CD47 levels caused by ageing and the virus play a role in COVID-19 severity by limiting an effective immune response and enhancing disease-related tissue and organ damage. Researchers believe that this discovery could lead to improved COVID-19 therapy, as medicines targeting CD47 are currently being developed.
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