Researchers have identified an antiviral gene that affects the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and severe coronavirus. In patients with severe coronavirus infection, there can also be inflammatory changes in the brain. Moreover, the researchers investigated four variants on the gene. OAS1Which affects the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and severe corona disease.
According to a report by the site time now news Appreciate a team from University College London (UCL) that one of the genetic variants of a gene OAS1 It increases the risk of Alzheimer’s disease by about 3-6%, while related variants in the same gene increase the likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s disease leading to severe COVID-19 outcomes..
Lead author Dr Darwish Saleh, from Queen Square Neurology and Dementia Research UK, said: ‘While Alzheimer’s disease is primarily characterized by the harmful build-up of amyloid and tangles in the brain, there is also severe inflammation in the brain highlighting the importance of the immune system. In Alzheimer’s disease, we’ve found that some of the same immune system changes can occur in both Alzheimer’s disease and the coronavirus. “
He added: “In patients with severe corona infection, there can also be inflammatory changes in the brain, and here we identified a gene that could contribute to an exaggerated immune response to an increased risk of both Alzheimer’s disease and the Corona virus.
To understand the gene’s link to Alzheimer’s disease, the team sequenced genetic data from 2,547 people, half of whom had a brain disorder, and found that people with a particular difference, called rs1131454 from Jin OAS1 were more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease, which increases the risk of Alzheimer’s disease by 11-22%.
The researchers said the newly identified variant is common and has a greater impact on Alzheimer’s risk than many known risk genes. OAS1, all of which inhibit their expression activity.
The researchers found that variants that increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease are linked (inherited together) to . variants OAS1 It was recently discovered to increase the risk of needing intensive care for coronavirus by up to 20%.
The team said that microglia where the . gene was expressed OAS1 Weaker, it has an exaggerated response to tissue damage, unleashing what they call a “cytokine storm,” which leads to an autoimmune condition where the body attacks itself..
They added that the activity OAS1 It changes with age, so more research into the genetic network could help understand why older adults are susceptible to Alzheimer’s disease, coronavirus and other related diseases..
