According to a new study, the genetic mutation that helped our ancestors fight the Black Death also protects against Covid-19.
- Old work has shown that survivors of the Black Death were more likely to carry certain variants in an ERAP2 gene than those who did not survive.
- According to a new British study, these mutations would also have protective effects against infections such as Covid-19.
- On the other hand, they would increase the risks of suffering from an autoimmune disease.
The Black Death wreaked havoc in the Middle Ages. According to estimates, it would have killed one in three Europeans. Studies have shown that mutations in a gene called ERAP2 helped survivors fight off this disease. New research, published in The American Journal of Human Genetics on March 7, 2023, shows that they also have a protective effect in some individuals against another pandemic: Covid-19.
The gene fights Covid-19, but increases the risk of autoimmune diseases
The new work has brought together researchers from the universities of Bristol, Edinburgh, Oxford, Cardiff as well as Imperial College London. They used an analytical technique known as Mendelian randomization to determine associations between mutations in the ERAP2 gene and the risk of autoimmune diseases or infections.
The team found that the mutations that helped fight bubonic plague are still present in some individuals today. And above all, they are always useful. They offer similar protection against infections like pneumonia and Covid-19. “However, this is a balance situation, and the same genetic makeup is likely to be linked to increases in various autoimmune diseases”warn the authors in their communicated.
ERAP2: it is a “balancing selection”
Dr. Hamilton, lead author, explains “This gene essentially chops up proteins for the immune system. Although we don’t know the exact mechanism influencing disease risk, carriers of alleles that provide more protection against respiratory disease appear to have an increased risk of self-induced disease. This is potentially a great example of a phenomenon called ‘balancing selection’ – where the same allele has a different effect on different diseases.”
Identifying links between genetics and susceptibility to disease can pave the way for potential drugs, scientists say. They also point out that “ERAP2-targeting treatments are currently being developed to target Crohn’s disease and cancer, so it is important to consider the potential effects on infection risk from these agents.”
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