Results from a study have concluded that chronic lung disease might result in severe COVID-19, which is caused by cell damage which allows SARS-CoV-2 to set in the lung that will cause severe breathing problems.

 Another implication is having cells in the lungs damaged by infection that will progress to more severe infections caused by COVID. This time, chances of not recovering are a certain possibility and a greater chance.

These findings came from a study led by Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), affiliated with the City of Hope.

Many individuals who have been intubated because of respiratory problems due to COVID are thought to be caused by compromised cells in the lungs.

What happens in the lungs

Data from the study says that the changes in the DNA caused by lung disease will be a major influence, especially how it affects the epithelial cells covering the lining in the lung and airways, reported SciTech Daily.

These changes in the cells allow the coronavirus to set up a larger infection that will cause the immune response to attack the tissue lining in the respiratory system. In effect, the lungs will have water causing the patient to 'drown', this will need respirators to push in the air to make up for the less oxygen produced.

It will keep the patients connected because they cannot breathe, and be kept in hospital care longer.

Study participants design a single-cell RNA sequencing technology to define the DNA of 611,398 cells from databases wherein they were grouped as those with a lung infection and those without. Looking at the proteins and analyzing the DNA to check what would happen to the subjects for severe covid infections, cited Science Daily. Chronic lung disease might result in severe COVID-19 suffered by people.

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Nicholas Banovich, one of the authors, said that patients suffering from chronic lung disease are likely to get infected with COVID-19. The Human Cell Atlas Lung Biological Network has many members, who are part of many institutions all over the world had helped in the study.

One of the findings is that older men, smoking, having a condition of high blood pressure, and obesity with diabetes will add up to SARS-CoV-2 risks made worse by lung disease. There are several lung diseases like Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and others, that cause scarring and lung tissue that stiffens.

According to Jonathan Kropski, M.D., who is the co-author of the study, said even in the early outbreaks most patients with lung problems were prime targets for COVID. Learning what caused it was a priority for the study.

Cell changes found out

Looking for changes in the AT2 cells that are found in the lungs, then searching how the virus can infect the cell effectively. Making a 'viral entry score' (VSE) which are genes that are linked to SARS-CoV-2, they got a higher score from chronic lung disease.

One more point of interest is the altered immune cells that had changes caused by the virus, causing inflamed lung tissue excess cytokines produced which are symptoms of the disease. One cause of damaged organ tissue is the cytokine storms that cause antibodies to attack healthy body tissue.

They also explored changes in immune cells and discovered dysregulated gene expression associated with hyper-inflammation and with sustained cytokine production, two signature symptoms of severe SARS-CoV-2 infection. So-called cytokine storms in COVID-19 patients unleash a cascade of immune cells that flood the lungs, causing severe organ damage, noted Medrxiv.

Chronic lung disease might result in severe COVID-19, which is caused by a lessen antibody defense because T cells have been weakened, said Linh Bui, Ph.D., one of the authors.

The original reference is from Nature Communications, July 14, 2021

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