The body’s response to the coronavirus may depend on individual genetic characteristics of the human body, told the “Russian newspaper” the leading expert of the Center for molecular diagnostics CMD TSNII of Epidemiology of Rospotrebnadzor Mikhail Lebedev.
According to him, now experts are studying the genomes of patients to identify genetic variants that will help to identify people most at risk of severe COVID-19.
The expert described the factors that prevent the coronavirus from entering the body. In particular, it became known that polymorphisms (mutations) in a gene, which encodes a protein ACE2, which is a coronavirus uses to penetrate cells of the respiratory tract, may facilitate or hinder the penetration of the virus into cells. In addition, the response to COVID-19 may depend on differences in leukocyte genes of the HLA (major histocompatibility complex).
Previously, scientists from the University of San Francisco learned about the unexpected reaction of the organism to the coronavirus, which prevents the treatment of infections. Immune response to the coronavirus in contact with the body was so strong that it interferes with the action of drugs. It was also noted that the coronavirus is the easiest to penetrate into cells through the respiratory system and just as easily affects the tissues and cells of other organs.
