Protein deficiency linked with slower spread of COVID-19 in India: Study

Scientists have found that higher levels of neutrophil elastase, a human protein, could be the reason behind COVID-19 surge. Here’s what you need to know.

By: Arushi Bidhuri | | Updated: February 9, 2021 1:35 pm

COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, has gone through several mutations. It forced the world to go into a panic due to its high transmissibility rate. While the United Kingdom saw an alarming rise in COVID-19 infections and deaths, but that is not the case in Asia anymore. Life across Asia is slowly returning to normal due to a slower surge of the virus. Also Read - COVID-19 vaccine at ₹250 too low to sustain, Companies ‘feel betrayed’: Kiran Mazumdar Shaw

Neutrophil Elastase Deficiency Behind The Slow Surge Of COVID-19 In Asia

Countries in Asia, especially India, have witnessed fewer cases in the past few months. And scientists believe that this is because of the protein called neutrophil elastase, a neutral serine protease, which is a constituent of lung elastolytic activity. A team of scientists from the National Institute of Biomedical Genomics in Kalyani, West Bengal, found that this protein is more common in the US and UK as compared to India. Also Read - Gurugram apartment declared containment zone after 20 tested positive for COVID-19

According to the study, deficiency of this particular human protein in Asians explains why coronavirus is not spreading as fast in Asian countries. They explained that higher levels of neutrophil elastase help the coronavirus to enter human cells, proliferate and spread faster from infected individuals. However, the above-mentioned protein can produce another protein called alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT), whose deficiency can lead to higher levels of neutrophil elastase in the cells. It causes the SARS-CoV-2 virus to spread more rapidly among individuals. Also Read - With 33 positive cases, 3 more COVID-19 clusters identified in Bengaluru

The study published in the journal Infections, Genetics, and Evolution also reported that the deficiency of AAT is much higher in Europe and America than Asians. The scientists also said that naturally occurring mutation in the AAT-producing gene results in the deficiency of the AAT protein.

ATT Deficiency Higher In The West Than India

Scientists, including Nidhan Biswas and Partha Majumder, said that ATT deficiency is the least in Asian countries. Only 8 in 1,000 in Malaysia, 5.4 per 1,000 in South Korea, and 2.5 per 1,000 in Singapore. Whereas, in Spain, 67.3 per 1,000 individuals in Spain are AAT deficient. They also found that 51.9 per cent per 1,000 and 29 people in 1,000 were deficient in AAT in France and the US respectively.

Addressing another speculation that the different behaviour of COVID-19 in East and West is the higher temperature in Asia, Majumder said that the cause of the spread had to be biological rather than physical or social. However, the team of researchers emphasized that their findings along with other social factors can explain the differences between the spread of the coronavirus variant.

Published : February 9, 2021 1:22 pm | Updated:February 9, 2021 1:35 pm

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