Researchers from Osaka University find that SARS-CoV-2 binds to a cell-surface protein whose expression is promoted by high blood insulin levels in older, obese, and diabetic individuals.
Oct 28, 2021●Life Sciences & Medicine
Oct 28, 2021●Life Sciences & Medicine
Keeping blood insulin levels within strict, healthy parameters is a daily goal for people with diabetes. But now, researchers from Japan have found that regulating blood insulin levels may even help lower the risk of getting COVID-19.
In a study published this month in Diabetes, researchers from Osaka University have revealed that a protein called GRP78 helps the virus that causes COVID-19 bind to and enter cells. GRP78 is a protein that is found in adipose tissue (i.e., fat). Older, obese, and diabetic people are all more vulnerable to COVID-19 and, while the reasons for this are still not completely clear, the team from Osaka University sheds some light on this issue.
“It was recently suggested that adipose tissue might be a major reservoir for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19,” says lead author of the study Jihoon Shin. “Because of this, we wanted to investigate whether there is any link between the excess adipose tissue in older, obese, and diabetic patients and their vulnerability to COVID-19.”
To do this, the researchers looked at GRP78, which has recently been suggested to be involved in the interaction of SARS-CoV-2 with human cells. The major method by which SARS-CoV-2 enters human cells is by a spike protein on the viral surface binding to a human cell-surface protein called angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). Shin and colleagues discovered that the spike protein can also directly bind to GRP78, and that the presence of GRP78 increases the binding with ACE2. To get an idea of GRP78’s involvement in COVID-19 vulnerability they investigated how much GRP78 protein is present in tissues from older, obese, and diabetic patients.
“The results were very clear,” explains senior author Iichiro Shimomura. “GRP78 gene expression was highly upregulated in adipose tissue, and was elevated with increasing age, obesity, and diabetes.”
Aging, obesity, and diabetes are known to be associated with increased blood insulin levels. Therefore, the group wondered whether insulin was involved in GRP78 expression. They found that exposing cells to insulin did induce expression of GRP78. Importantly, they discovered that treatment using widely prescribed anti-diabetic drugs that reduce insulin levels successfully reduce expression level of GRP78. They went a step further and showed that exercise and calorie restriction in a mouse-model also worked to reduce GRP78 levels in adipose tissue.
“Our findings suggest that a high blood insulin level is an important risk factor that can predispose older, obese, and diabetic individuals to COVID-19 infection. As such, controlling blood insulin with pharmacological interventions or with environmental interventions, such as exercise, could help lower these patients’ risk,” says Shin.
Given the global impact of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, the results from this study provide important insights into how to lower the risk of infection in these vulnerable patients. Reducing GRP78 expression by pharmacological or environmental interventions may improve outcomes in these patients."
More to read here
h/t Marks Daily Apple here
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All the best Jan
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All the best Jan
26 comments:
...lots of things are interrelated.
This is such good information. I know I am healthier from not eating sugar or a lot of carbs. Thanks for sharing this!
Very interesting article! Makes me happy that I don't eat sugar and eat low carb.
I do know that since it has gotten colder out I haven't been getting the exercise I need, this makes me want to get out and walk more no matter how cold it is.
Interesting.
Gracias por la informacion es muy bueno. Te mando un beso
Health issues so often are, as Tom says, interrelated. And a healthy sugar level doesn't go astray. Ever.
Good information. In 2020, 50.0% of Dutch people aged 18 and older were moderately or seriously overweight. That's why it was so bad that the gyms and swimming pools had to close during the lockdown in December and January.
I myself struggle with food, due to various cross reactions (histamine). I think I eat too little sugar so I take a spoonful of honey every day. I don't eat cookies, chips, snacks, but I do eat oatmeal, cornflakes, lots of vegetables, meat, and coffee.
We should try to live healthy. I have a dietitian who helps me with that. And exercise is important. To walk!
Interesting. Science always amazes me.
Great to know!So many people are getting Diabets now ..I think it is a huge need for a food changeover..more fish and vegetables
Thank you for sharing!Jan!xxx
That is interesting. I think the more halthy you are the better chance you have of fighting off most things really.
I've been wondering if there is any genetic or other link to people catching covid also. Perhaps some people are have more GRP78 surface proteins or have more active ones. Now I'm also curious if respiratory cells carry this same protein or if sars/covid 19 viruses can attach to 2 different proteins, since adipose cells may be a reservoir but the disease actually makes you sick in respiratory cells. Interesting article today. Thanks for sharing.
Good to know.
Another fascinating article. Thanks Jan and all the best!
Diabetes can be a killer. My ex-SIL had Covid and when he was hospitalized they discovered he had untreated diabetes. Scary stuff. He almost died.
This is fascinating, and helpful information, Jan.
This is really very intersting. Thanks for sharing it.
So many things are related...probably more than we ever dream. I can sure see this being true.
Thanks for keeping us informed!
It's helpful to know what we can do to reduce our risk. Masks are necessary but not the only thing.
Goodness, this is certainlyinteresting!xxx
Boa noite, uma postagem muito interessante!
Um beijinho!
Gratidão!
Megy Maia 🌼🌻🌼
Very good information.
Interesting and informative.
Wonderfully informative and professional article ~ Xo
Wishing you lots of loving moments,
A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)
Un artÃculo muy interesante. Gracias y besos.
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