- A deficiency in a human protein called AAT is causing the rapid spread of the virus in the West.
- This protein regulates another protein in the blood that helps the virus to bind and spread.
- Neutrophil elastase is upregulated by AAT deficiency making the virus easier to infect.
- AAT deficiency is found in 2-8 per 1000 people while for Westerners it is 29-63 per 1000 people
According to a Business Today report, scientists have underlined the key factor chasing the surge of coronavirus in the West as compared to Asia.
The answer they believe lies in a protein deficiency.
What is it?
According to scientists, the main reason behind the slow spread of mutant coronavirus in Asia compared to the West is because of deficiency of a particular human protein.
A team of Indian scientists has found the answer to the global divide of coronavirus behavior.
According to scientists from the National Institute of Biomedical Genomics in Kalyani, West Bengal, the main reason behind the slow spread of mutant coronavirus in Asia compared to the West is because of deficiency of a particular human protein.
In a Times of India report, the scientists explained how higher levels of a human protein- neutrophil elastase-helps virus to enter human cells, multiply, and also spread faster from COVID-19 infected patients.
How does it help in COVID transmission?
The scientists noted the deficiency of AAT protein is much higher among Europeans and Americans than Asians, which leads to higher levels of neutrophil elastase that helps SARS-CoV-2 to spread more quickly
However, this protein is kept in check by the biological system, which produces another protein called alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT). So, AAT deficiency leads to higher levels of neutrophil elastase in the cells, which helps the SARS-CoV-2 to spread more quickly.
AAT Protein Deficiency Higher in the West
The scientists noted the deficiency of AAT is much higher in Europe and America than among Asians. The study has been published in the journal, Infection, Genetics, and Evolution.
A team of scientists including Nidhan Biswas and Partha Majumder said that naturally occurring mutations in the AAT-producing gene result in the deficiency of the AAT protein.
- According to Majumder and Biswas, AAT deficiency is the least in Asian countries–8 per 1,000 individuals in Malaysia, 5.4 per 1,000 individuals in South Korea, and 2.5 per 1,000 in Singapore.
- Whereas, 67.3 per 1,000 individuals in Spain are AAT deficient. In France and the US, it is 51.9 per 1,000 and 29 individuals among 1,000 AAT deficient.
Research Explains Geographical Variation
Earlier, the most popular speculation of different behavior of COVID-19 in East and West was the higher temperature in Asia, Majumder said. He added, “We believed the cause had to be biological rather than physical or social”.
However, the researchers emphasized that their findings along with other social factors might explain the differential geographical or ethnic spread of the coronavirus.
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Source: Business Today
