California: Inflammasomes are part of a complex network of molecular sensors that our bodies utilise to detect infection. However, immunologists have been intrigued by the processes behind these sensors, which activate responses to dangers such as invading infections. University of California San Diego researchers disclose a previously undiscovered manner that the immune system recognises some viruses in a new study. CARD8, an inflammasome immune protein, they discovered, may act as a trip wire to identify a variety of viruses, including SARS-Cov-2, which causes COVID-19.
Researchers lead by Matt Daugherty of the School of Biological Sciences and colleagues from the University of Washington and UC Berkeley discovered that CARD8 acts differently between animals and even amongst people in the human population. The findings, which came from a series of tests involving human cell lines and an examination of CARD8 genetic diversity in mammalian species, were published in the journal PLOS Biology. Professor Daugherty, an associate professor in the Department of Molecular Biology said,
In a version of CARD8, we found that some humans have lost the ability to sense coronavirus infections based on a single genetic difference but have gained the ability to sense viruses in a different family, the enteroviruses–which includes rhinovirus (common cold) and poliovirus. So that means it’s an evolutionary tradeoff and CARD8 diversity in humans impacts which viruses can be sensed and which ones cannot
The research team found that the bat version of CARD8 is not able to sense coronaviruses. This could explain how coronaviruses are able to infect bats so easily and become a virus “reservoir.”
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The findings provide evidence that CARD8 has evolved substantially across different species of mammals and individual humans. According to the authors,
Our findings establish CARD8 as a rapidly evolving, polymorphic, innate immune sensor of positive-sense RNA viruses
Professor Daugherty said researchers have only found the tip of the iceberg in terms of the way immune sensors sound the alarm about pathogens and infection. Professor Daugherty further said,
It’s amazing to see this evolutionary balance of one virus to another going from sensing to not sensing–it’s mind-blowing
More studies are needed to thoroughly determine CARD8’s role in the severity of COVID-19 infections and long COVID symptoms. According to the authors note,
It is tempting to speculate that diminished CARD8 inflammasome activation may be a contributing factor to variation in COVID-19 disease outcomes, and more generally for other human pathogenic coronavirus and picornavirus infections
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(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
NDTV – Dettol have been working towards a clean and healthy India since 2014 via the Banega Swachh India initiative, which is helmed by Campaign Ambassador Amitabh Bachchan. The campaign aims to highlight the inter-dependency of humans and the environment, and of humans on one another with the focus on One Health, One Planet, One Future – Leaving No One Behind. It stresses on the need to take care of, and consider, everyone’s health in India – especially vulnerable communities – theLGBTQ population,indigenous people, India’s different tribes, ethnic and linguistic minorities, people with disabilities, migrants, geographically remote populations, gender and sexual minorities. In wake of the currentCOVID-19 pandemic, the need for WASH (Water,SanitationandHygiene) is reaffirmed as handwashing is one of the ways to prevent Coronavirus infection and other diseases. The campaign will continue to raise awareness on the same along with focussing on the importance of nutrition and healthcare for women and children, fightmalnutrition, mental wellbeing, self care, science and health,adolescent health & gender awareness. Along with the health of people, the campaign has realised the need to also take care of the health of the eco-system. Our environment is fragile due to human activity, which is not only over-exploiting available resources, but also generating immense pollution as a result of using and extracting those resources. The imbalance has also led to immense biodiversity loss that has caused one of the biggest threats to human survival – climate change. It has now been described as a “code red for humanity.” The campaign will continue to cover issues likeair pollution,waste management,plastic ban,manual scavengingand sanitation workers andmenstrual hygiene. Banega Swasth India will also be taking forward the dream of Swasth Bharat, the campaign feels that only a Swachh or clean India wheretoiletsare used andopen defecation free (ODF)status achieved as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched byPrime Minister Narendra Modiin 2014, can eradicate diseases like diahorrea and the country can become a Swasth or healthy India.
