Thanks to the study of a group of researchers from the Ceinge-Biotechnology of Naples it turned out the because some individuals are asymptomatic when they contract Covid-19, that is the SARS_CoV2 infection.
The group led by Mario Capasso and Achille Iolascon, professors of medical genetics at the Federico II University of Naples, explained that it is rare genetic mutations and that this discovery could be fundamental for the search for new diagnostic techniques and new therapies to treat the disease.
Because there are asymptomatic cases among the Covid positives
The result of the researchers' work was published in the journal Genetics in Medicine and the scientists explained that they analyzed the DNA samples of about 800 people who were asymptomatic after becoming infected. Individuals found to be asymptomatic despite having risk factors such as older age, for example.
At the basis of these cases there are three rare genetic mutations that make it more weak the genes involved in the activation processes of the immune system.
The three genes are:
- Masp1;
- Colec10;
- Colec11.
They are all part of the family of lectin proteins, which deals with the cell recognition process
As explained by the researchers:
Today it is widely demonstrated that the excessive immune response to SarsCoV2 infection and the subsequent hyper-activation of pro-inflammatory and pro-coagulation processes are the main cause of damage to organs such as lungs, heart, kidney. Our research shows that mutations in the human genome that attenuate this excessive immune reaction can predispose to an infection without severe symptoms.
Basically, when Coronavirus disease attacks us causing damage to our lungs, kidneys or heart, it happens because our immune system over-responds activating, always in an excessive way, some processes that cause inflammation and coagulation.
Instead, in subjects whose DNA there are three genetic mutations cited, this excessive immune reaction comes attenuated and we find ourselves having ainfection without severe symptoms.
Therefore, with the advanced bioinformatics analysis strategies used it was understood that there are rare pathogenic mutations far more present in infected and asymptomatic subjects, but not in the large series of 57000 healthy subjects.
The road to new therapies and diagnoses
This important study was made freely accessible by researchers because the possible applications of this discovery may be fundamental in the search for new therapies e diagnostic techniques.
All researchers and scientists in the world can use the genetic data entered in an online database and in this way there will be much more opportunities to develop new research in the field.
Cover source: Repubblica
