January 15, 2022
13:19
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Scientists have identified a specific gene variant that protects against severe infection with Kovid-19, the electronic edition “Juricalart” reported, quoted by BTA.
Everything on the topic:
Coronavirus epidemic (COVID-19) 29867
–The international meta-study was led by researchers from the Karolinska Institute in Sweden.
Researchers have been able to identify the genetic variant by studying people of different backgrounds. According to them, this shows how important it is to conduct clinical trials involving participants from different backgrounds.
Previous studies of people with European roots have found that those who carry a specific DNA segment have a 20 percent lower risk of severe disease from the new coronavirus. This segment is inherited from the Neanderthals in about half of all people outside Africa.
To identify this specific genetic variant, the research team at the Karolinska Institute is looking for people who carry only parts of the DNA segment. Because Neanderthal heritage originated after ancient migration from Africa, scientists see the potential to focus on people with African roots who are not related to Neanderthals, and therefore are with most of this DNA segment.
The study involved a total of 2,787 patients with Covid-19 patients of African descent, and analyzed data on another 130,997 people in the control group. Eighty percent of volunteers of African descent had this protected genetic variant. The result is compared with the previous study of people of European descent.
According to the researchers, the variant of the protective gene (rs10774671-G) determines the length of the protein encoded by the OAS1 gene. Other studies have shown that a longer variant of the protein is more effective against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19.
