{"id":1703,"date":"2022-03-16T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-03-16T06:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ahflatamycaribe.org\/the-same-genetic-factor-favors-severe-covid-and-protects-against-hiv\/"},"modified":"2024-02-13T16:41:32","modified_gmt":"2024-02-13T22:41:32","slug":"the-same-genetic-factor-favors-severe-covid-and-protects-against-hiv","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ahflatamycaribe.org\/en\/the-same-genetic-factor-favors-severe-covid-and-protects-against-hiv\/","title":{"rendered":"The same genetic factor favors severe COVID and protects against HIV"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A recent study identified a genetic factor<\/strong> that predisposes a person to a severe case of COVID-19<\/strong>, but would also provide protection if the same person were exposed to HIV.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Swedish researcher Hugo Zeberg, who published his work in the PNAS<\/em> scientific journal<\/a>, found that a segment of chromosome 3<\/strong>, a part of human DNA, regulates the presence of receptors located on immune cells, including the CCR5 co-receptor<\/strong>, which HIV uses to attach to the cell and infect it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The precedent <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At the end of 2020, the year the COVID-19 pandemic broke out<\/strong>, Zerberg and the German geneticist Svante P\u00e4\u00e4bo managed to identify that a segment of chromosome 3 is directly related to a higher risk<\/strong> of developing a severe case of COVID-19.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In that article, published in the journal Nature<\/em><\/a>, the scientists also revealed that this genetic variation had been inherited from Neanderthals<\/strong>, and after finding it in 3,199 patients hospitalized for COVID-19, it was concluded that they had a higher risk of hospitalization and respiratory failure<\/strong> when infected with SARS-CoV-2.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They also concluded that this genetic variant had been increasingly prevalent<\/strong> in humans since the last Ice Age, and is “unusually common” today. For this reason, Zerberg wondered if this factor could be used<\/strong> for something positive, and not only worsen cases of a more recent disease such as COVID-19.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Protection against HIV <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It has long been known that the CCR5 co-receptor is necessary for HIV to latch onto and infect cells of the immune system<\/strong>. When that coreceptor does not exist on the surface of these cells, the infection does not take place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cohorts of patients with this genetic trait have been followed up on for years, mainly in Northern Europe<\/strong> and South Asia, where the variation is more common. Based on the data available from those studies, Zerberg calculated<\/strong> how protective this trait is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The scientist reviewed data from three cohorts and found that several co-receptors, including CCR5, were less presen<\/strong>t in these individuals, and managed to calculate that those patients who had the risk factor for COVID-19 on chromosome 3 also had 27% less risk<\/strong> of becoming infected with HIV.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, one question remains to be solved. Since HIV did not appear until the late 20th century<\/strong>, it cannot be the reason why Neanderthal genetic variation has increased its frequency in humans. More research<\/strong> is needed to know if it provides protection against some other, much older disease.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A recent study identified a genetic factor that predisposes a person to a severe case of COVID-19, but would also provide protection if the same person were exposed to HIV. Swedish researcher Hugo Zeberg, who published his work in the PNAS scientific journal, found that a segment of chromosome 3, a part of human DNA, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":1645,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[48],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1703","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news-en"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t

HIV infection still leaves many questions <\/strong>unanswered, and while these answers are found, it is best to protect yourself from the virus. If you want to get free condoms<\/strong> or get a free HIV test<\/strong>, come to AHF Latin America and the Caribbean, we have offices in 11 countries in the region. Locate the nearest one<\/a> or write to us on Whatsapp.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"