Amidst race for Covid 19 vaccines research by Boston scientists raises hope of medicine for corona
With the first shot of covid 19 vaccination in England and many other vaccine candidates in the race with their results of final trials world-wide all eyes are on when can we have the medicine for corona?
Scientists have decoded the chain of molecular responses of human lung cells to infection with the novel coronavirus, an advance which may aid in the identification of clinically approved medications that can be re-purposed for COVID-19 treatment.
The study, published in the journal Molecular Cell, assessed engineered cells of the human lungs” air sacks using precise mass spectrometry technology that can characterise the molecules present in samples.
Based on the analysis, the scientists from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) in the US, identified proteins and pathways of molecules in lung cells whose levels change upon infection by the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
Hope for Covid Medicine
The researchers believe the findings provide insights into disease pathology and new therapeutic targets to block COVID-19.
They found that a crucial type of protein modification called “phosphorylation” becomes aberrant in these infected lung cells.
According to the study, phosphorylation of proteins plays a major role in regulating protein function inside the cells of an organism.
It noted that both protein abundance and protein phosphorylation are typically highly controlled processes in the case of healthy cells.
However, the scientists discovered that SARS-CoV-2 throws the lung cells into disarray, causing abnormal changes in protein amounts and frequency of protein phosphorylation inside these cells.
These abnormal changes, the scientists said, help the virus to multiply — eventually destroying the cells and resulting in widespread lung injury.
Upon infection, the researchers said the coronavirus rapidly begins to exploit the cell”s core resources, which are otherwise required for the cell”s normal growth and function.
There are other parallel studies indicating towards how, besides focussing on the development of vaccines for covid 19 vaccination the scientists world over have been working hard to understand the virus, its nature and pathology.
Role of Genes and Covid
Almost a year in covid pandemic the pattern of virus and its effect has been found to be different for different people.
According to a by BBC NEWS, “Genes hold clues to why some people get severely ill”, genes make some people more susceptible to severe Covid-19 symptoms.
The report elaborates there are certain ‘angry cells’ which plays key role in deciding who would get severely sick, need hospitalisation or intensive care.inny yadav, as
Covid and lung damage
According to a study published in Lancet’s EBioMedicine journal in November, novel corona virus causes extensive damage, persistent distortion of normal organ structure, scarring of respiratory tissue and massive blood clotting of the arteries and veins.
In other studies the role of lung protein has been found to be significant. The corona virus feeds on the protein found in lung cells triggering the degeneration of cells causing severe damage of lungs and sickness.
The Boston university findings compliments the theory of how lungs are the most affected organs by covid 19 and this would lead the scientists world-wide towards finding cure and medicine for corona.
Read More: https://www.bbc.com/news/amp/health-54832563
