University of Oxford scientists have identified a specific gene that prevents the lungs to respond properly against the coronavirus, which doubles the person's risk of respiratory complications and death during COVID-19 infection.
This gene is called the LZTFL1 that can be found in one in six Europeans but is more commonly found in people with South Asian heritage. They published their study, titled "Identification of LZTFL1 as a Candidate Effector Gene at a COVID-19 Risk Locus," in the journal Nature Genetics.
LZTFL1 Gene Acts as Switch From Coronavirus Entering the Body
Researchers wrote in their study that the LZTFL1 gene acts as a switch on to a defense mechanism in the human body that prevents coronavirus from entering the epithelial cells in the lungs. However, this mechanism is blunted in the higher-risk version of this gene because it allows the virus to infect lung cells.
The Hill reported that this gene doubles the risk of respiratory failure in infected people. It is disproportionately found among those with South Asian ancestry in which 60% of them carry this gene, while 15% of people with European heritage have this, and only 2% of those with Afro-Caribbean ancestry.
Study co-lead author James Davies said that their findings suggest that the way the lungs respond to the infection is critical. More so, the study suggests that treatments should focus on changing the way in which the immune system responds to the coronavirus.
Furthermore, Davies explains that people with this higher-risk genotype and who suffer from the severe type of COVID-19 may have only suffered the milder form had they had the lower-risk genotype.
Vaccines Should Work Against This Added Risk
According to The Sun, Professor Davies said that vaccines will work against the added risk of the LZTFL1 gene. "The effect is in the lungs and that means people with the higher risk version of the gene should respond to vaccination and that should cancel it out," the news outlet quoted him.
He added that if the gene affected the immune system, then people should be more worried because they would likely not respond to the vaccines. The team also noted that if a vaccine is made to target this gene, everyone could benefit from it.
The genetic factor that the study found explains why some people become seriously ill, especially among those with South Asian ancestry.
The data from the Office for National Statistics in England showed that people with Bangladesh ancestry were two to three times more likely to die of COVID-19 infection, and those with Pakistani heritage have a 2.5 times higher risk of dying due to the coronavirus infection compared to the general public.
However, the team noted that their findings must not be used as a sole basis to explain the higher deaths and hospitalizations in certain communities because other factors also play a significant role.
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