Gene Mutations and Autoantibodies in Severe COVID-19
Genetic variations and autoantibodies that compromise interferon signaling explain ~14% of severe COVID-19 cases.
As researchers evaluate patients that develop severe COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV2, they are discovering answers to why some people become so critically ill and others do not. A pair of papers in Science by international teams of scientists led by Jean-Laurent Casanova reports reasons for why ~14% of severe cases of COVID-19 occur. Importantly, this information is clinically useful and will help screen at-risk individuals, prioritize vaccination, and treat patients. Additionally, these findings support a key theory regarding why COVID-19 shows so much variability: Interferon signaling varies within the population.
Genetic Variation that Compromises Interferon Signaling
In the first study, researchers proposed that genetic variations in the population may underlie susceptibility to severe COVID-19 and established the COVID Human Genetic Effort to identify such genetic mutations. They studied 659 patients hospitalized with severe, life-threatening COVID-19 and 534 people with mild or asymptomatic disease.
