It may be the most baffling quirk of COVID: While some infected individuals only have minor, flu-like symptoms, in others COVID-19 can spiral into severe disease, disability, and even death. A new research paper published on September 21 in the journal Nature may explain the genetic underpinnings of
New research may explain why some people with COVID-19 only experience minor, flu-like symptoms and others have severe disease that can result in death.
Just one or two amino acids make a difference. Notably, people with APOE4 are at greater risk of developing Alzheimer’s and atherosclerosis. Also, Tavazoie and Benjamin Ostendorf, a postdoctoral fellow in his lab, have demonstrated that APOE4 and APOE2 impact the immune response against melanoma. As the COVID-19 pandemic progressed, Tavazoie and Ostendorf began to wonder whether APOE variants might impact COVID outcomes, as well. “We had looked only at non-infectious diseases,” he says.
“The results were striking. A difference in just one or two amino acids in the APOE gene was sufficient to cause major differences in the survival of mice exhibiting COVID.” —Tavazoie emphasizes that there is no evidence that the 40% of individuals carrying only one of these alleles are at increased risk. Furthermore, he says those with two APOE2 or APOE4 alleles are likely at lower risk today than the data indicates. “Vaccination changes the picture,” he explains.
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