The UQ team was led by Professor Trent Woodruff and Dr. Eduardo Albornoz Balmaceda from UQs School of Biomedical Sciences, and virologists from the School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences.
” We studied the effect of the infection on the brains immune cells, microglia which are the essential cells associated with the development of brain illness like Parkinsons and Alzheimers,” Professor Woodruff stated.
” Our team grew human microglia in the lab and infected the cells with SARS-CoV-2, the infection that triggers COVID-19.
” We found the cells effectively became mad, activating the same path that Parkinsons and Alzheimers proteins can activate in disease, the inflammasomes.”
A COVID-19-infected mouse brain revealing upset microglia in green and SARS-CoV-2 in red. Credit: University of Queensland
Dr. Albornoz Balmaceda said setting off the inflammasome pathway sparked a fire in the brain, which starts a chronic and sustained process of killing off nerve cells.
” Its kind of a silent killer, because you dont see any external signs for numerous years,” Dr. Albornoz Balmaceda stated.
” It may discuss why some individuals whove had COVID-19 are more vulnerable to establishing neurological signs similar to Parkinsons illness.”
When there were currently proteins in the brain connected to Parkinsons, the researchers found the spike protein of the virus was enough to begin the procedure and was further exacerbated.
” So if someone is already pre-disposed to Parkinsons, having COVID-19 could be like pouring more fuel on that fire in the brain,” Professor Woodruff stated.
” The exact same would get a predisposition for Alzheimers and other dementias that have actually been linked to inflammasomes.”
However the study also found a possible treatment.
The scientists administered a class of UQ-developed inhibitory drugs that are currently in medical trials with Parkinsons clients.
” We found it effectively blocked the inflammatory pathway activated by COVID-19, essentially putting out the fire,” Dr. Albornoz Balmaceda said.
” The drug lowered swelling in both COVID-19-infected mice and the microglia cells from humans, recommending a possible treatment method to avoid neurodegeneration in the future.”
Professor Woodruff said while the similarity in between how COVID-19 and dementia diseases impact the brain was concerning, it also indicated a possible treatment was already around.
” Further research is needed, however this is potentially a new method to treating a virus that might otherwise have unknown long-lasting health implications.”.
The research study was co-led by Dr. Alberto Amarilla Ortiz and Associate Professor Daniel Watterson and included 33 co-authors across UQ and internationally.
The research study was published on November 1 in Natures Molecular Psychiatry.
Recommendation: “SARS-CoV-2 drives NLRP3 inflammasome activation in human microglia through spike protein” by Eduardo A. Albornoz, Alberto A. Amarilla, Naphak Modhiran, Sandra Parker, Xaria X. Li, Danushka K. Wijesundara, Julio Aguado, Adriana Pliego Zamora, Christopher L. D. McMillan, Benjamin Liang, Nias Y. G. Peng, Julian D. J. Sng, Fatema Tuj Saima, Jenny N. Fung, John D. Lee, Devina Paramitha, Rhys Parry, Michael S. Avumegah, Ariel Isaacs, Martin W. Lo, Zaray Miranda-Chacon, Daniella Bradshaw, Constanza Salinas-Rebolledo, Niwanthi W. Rajapakse, Ernst J. Wolvetang, Trent P. Munro, Alejandro Rojas-Fernandez, Paul R. Young, Katryn J. Stacey, Alexander A. Khromykh, Keith J. Chappell, Daniel Watterson and Trent M. Woodruff, 1 November 2022, Molecular Psychiatry.DOI: 10.1038/ s41380-022-01831-0.
Scientists say the COVID-19 virus affects the brain in a comparable method to dementia diseases.
Research study led by The University of Queensland (UQ) in Australia has discovered COVID-19 triggers the exact same inflammatory action in the brain as Parkinsons illness.
The discovery not just determined a prospective future threat for neurodegenerative conditions in people who have actually had COVID-19, however suggested likewise a possible treatment.
” Its type of a quiet killer, due to the fact that you do not see any external signs for lots of years.”– Dr. Albornoz Balmaceda