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New laboratory studies have said that cholesterol can help the coronavirus infect human cells by acting as a service that mimics the description of “taxi”.
The findings may explain why people with metabolic conditions, such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease, who often have high cholesterol levels, make up a disproportionate number of patients with severe symptoms of Covid-19.
Researchers have found that SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes “Covid-19”, can bind to cholesterol particles because it binds to normal cell receptors, called SR-B1.
This helps set the pathogen so that its spiny protein can bind to the ACE2 receptor, allowing it to infect the cell.
A study published in Nature Metabolism by researchers from the Chinese Academy of Military Medical Sciences investigated the role of “good” cholesterol, known as high-density lipoprotein (HDL), in coronavirus infection.
The study specifically looked at the SR-B1 receptor, which binds to cholesterol particles and is found in cells throughout the human body, including the lungs.
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The study found that SARS-CoV-2 could not directly exploit this receptor, but could benefit from the binding process of SR-B1 cholesterol to infiltrate cells.
Viral protrusions on the Coronavirus consist of two parts, called subunit 1 and subunit 2.
And in their experiments, Chinese scientists found a subunit that can bind to cholesterol. This means that when cholesterol naturally passes into its receptor, it also carries the coronavirus to the cell surface.
The researchers say this “enhances virus uptake” and the cholesterol receptor “facilitates the entry of SARS-CoV-2 into ACE2-expressing cells by increasing virus binding.”
The researchers then found that by blocking and neutralizing SR-B1, infection could be prevented.
They say targeting the SR-B1 receptor could be a potential avenue for future treatments.
“The results of our study demonstrate that SR-B1 facilitates cellular attachment, entry and infection of SARS-CoV-2,” explain the researchers in their paper. Therefore, SR-B1 may represent a therapeutic target for reducing SARS-CoV-2 infection.
This is likely to benefit people with certain comorbidities. People with heart disease and diabetes, who are more likely to have high HDL levels, are among those who will benefit the most.
“Cardiovascular disease and diabetes are associated with an increased risk of severe COVID-19,” the researchers wrote.
And nearly half of the patients with “Covid-19” suffer from underlying chronic diseases, particularly cardiovascular disease, brain disease and diabetes.
In addition, an increased “Covid-19” mortality rate has been observed in patients with obesity or diabetes.
Source: Daily Mail
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