April 18, 2024

Researchers Identify Proteins in the Coronavirus That Can Damage Blood Vessels

Almost 2 years considering that becoming a global pandemic that has actually eliminated millions of individuals, the mystery of which proteins in the SARS-CoV-2 virus are responsible for serious vascular damage that could even lead to heart attack or stroke has actually not yet been solved. Now, for the very first time, a group of professionals led by Tel Aviv University has actually been able to determine 5 of the 29 proteins that make up the virus that are accountable for destructive blood vessels.” When the coronavirus gets in the body, it begins to produce 29 proteins, a brand-new infection is formed, that infection produces 29 new proteins, and so on,” describes Dr. Maoz. We thoroughly examined the result of each of the 29 proteins revealed by the virus, and were successful in determining the five particular proteins that trigger the biggest damage to endothelial cells and for this reason to vascular stability and function.

Covid in capillary. Credit: Tel Aviv University
Nearly two years considering that ending up being a worldwide pandemic that has eliminated countless individuals, the secret of which proteins in the SARS-CoV-2 infection are responsible for severe vascular damage that might even lead to cardiac arrest or stroke has not yet been fixed. Now, for the very first time, a group of specialists led by Tel Aviv University has actually had the ability to identify 5 of the 29 proteins that comprise the virus that are responsible for harmful blood vessels. The researchers hope that the recognition of these proteins will assist develop targeted drugs for COVID-19 that minimize vascular damage.
The study was led by Dr. Ben Maoz of the Department of Biomedical Engineering and Sagol School of Neuroscience, Prof. Uri Ashery of the Wise Faculty of Life Sciences and Sagol School of Neuroscience, and Prof. Roded Sharan of the Blavatnik School of Computer Science– all Tel Aviv University scientists. Likewise getting involved in the study were Dr. Rossana Rauti, Dr. Yael Bardoogo, and doctoral student Meishar Shahoah of Tel Aviv University and Prof. Yaakov Nahmias of the Institute of Life Sciences at the Hebrew University The results of the new study were published in the journal eLife.
Dr. Ben Maoz. Credit: Tel Aviv University.
All the proof reveals that the virus severely damages the blood vessels or the endothelial cells that line the blood vessels. We wanted to find out which proteins in the infection are accountable for this type of damage.”

The unique coronavirus is a reasonably basic infection– it consists of a total of 29 various proteins (compared to the tens of countless proteins produced by the human body). The Tel Aviv University scientists utilized the RNA of each of the COVID-19 proteins and took a look at the response that happened when the different RNA sequences were placed into human blood vessel cells in the lab; they were thus able to recognize five coronavirus proteins that damage the blood vessels.
Prof. Uri Ashery. Credit: Tel Aviv University
” When the coronavirus gets in the body, it begins to produce 29 proteins, a new infection is formed, that infection produces 29 brand-new proteins, and so on,” discusses Dr. Maoz. We completely examined the impact of each of the 29 proteins revealed by the infection, and were successful in determining the 5 particular proteins that cause the biggest damage to endothelial cells and thus to vascular stability and function.
According to Dr. Maoz, the identification of these proteins may have considerable consequences in the battle against the infection. “Our research study could assist discover targets for a drug that will be utilized to stop the infections activity, or a minimum of lessen damage to blood vessels.”
Referral: “Effect of SARS-CoV-2 proteins on vascular permeability” by Rossana Rauti, Meishar Shahoha, Yael Leichtmann-Bardoogo, Rami Nasser, Eyal Paz, Rina Tamir, Victoria Miller, Tal Babich, Kfir Shaked, Avner Ehrlich, Konstantinos Ioannidis, Yaakov Nahmias, Roded Sharan, Uri Ashery and Ben Meir Maoz, 25 October 2021, eLife.DOI: 10.7554/ eLife.69314.