Researchers are one stepcloserto understanding the mechanism behind " cytokine storm , " an immune system reaction that can cause severeCOVID-19symptoms in patient infected with the coronavirus . In a new paper published in the journalCell , scientists from St. Jude Children ’s Research Hospital depict their designation of the specific cytokines , or small protein , that are produced by the eubstance in an effort to contend the virus but sometimes overreact and wind up causing damage , including inflaming , lung combat injury , and organ loser .
After examining the many different variety of cytokine in the eubstance , researchers determine that no single cytokine stimulate this inflammatory response . rather , it looks like a combination of two specific cytokine , dubbed neoplasm necrosis factor ( TNF)-alpha and interferon ( INF)-gamma , that work in connivance to cause incitive cell death .
By identifying these proteins as the culprit , researchers intimate that administering neutralizing antibodies and disrupting the protein pathways that encourage cell death might deliver a new treatment method acting for COVID-19 .
" Understanding the pathways and mechanics driving this inflammation is critical to develop good treatment scheme , " co - writer Thirumala - Devi Kanneganti , frailty chair of St. Jude ’s section of immunology , said in a press release . " This inquiry provides that understanding . We also identified the specific cytokines that activate inflammatory prison cell death pathway and have considerable potential for treatment of COVID-19 and other extremely fatal diseases , include sepsis . "
Thus far , this theory has only been tested in shiner , which received neutralizing antibodies and were protected from severe COVID-19 symptom . But in isolating the precise cytokine involved , it will likely be easy to site an effective discussion , either from an existing drug or one developed specifically for the chore . In time , researchers go for clinical trial of choice drug can be another tool in the fight against the virus .
[ h / tPennLive ]
