A study conducted by researchers at University College London and published in Cell revealed that if the protein mechanisms of COVID-19 variants are similar to those of other coronaviruses, it could potentially make identifying coronaviruses viruses with pandemic potential easier.

The researchers looked at both the innate and adaptive immune systems – the two parts that form the human immune system. Innate immunity acts as the first line of defence. It is present from birth and tries to prevent infection spreading through a rapid response.

Adaptive immunity, developing throughout our lives, enables us to recognise future pathogens by learning from past infections.

The study, which focused on the ability of the most infectious COVID-19 variants to overcome our innate immune systems, found that variants could increase the production of proteins called Orf6, Nucleocapsid (N) and Orf96, to defeat our first line of defence.

As a result, the virus has evolved and developed into new variants of concern that are different from previous variants and are able to slip past our adaptive immunity.

After collecting, sequencing, and measuring host responses to SARS-CoV-2 infection using viral mRNA, UCL researchers analysed the major variants of concern: Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta and the four Omicron subvariants BA.1, BA.2, BA.4 and BA.5.

Researchers discovered that these variants evolved to produce higher quantities of Orf6, N and Orf9b proteins to suppress the innate immune system.

Dr Ann-Kathrin Reuschl from the UCL Division of Infection and Immunity and a first author of the study explained that “enhanced expressions of the protein” produced “more of it to batter down the walls of our innate system”.

Additionally, they also found that these variants of concern adopted similar strategies to overcome human innate immunity by increasing the production of the same proteins.

Senior author of the study, Professor Greg Towers from the UCL Division of Infection & Immunity, said: ““This work is important because it reveals how SARS-CoV-2 is managing the first line of our immune defences, which the virus needs to overcome to infect humans in the first place.

"We aren’t sure if these biological mechanisms are common to other coronaviruses, but if they are it allows us to spot other coronaviruses that have pandemic potential. We will want to keep a close eye on those viruses that can manage our innate immunity well.”

Recently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) awarded the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security $23.5m to launch an epidemic preparedness project to better prepare for the information needs of decision-makers and explore how modelling and analytics can help improve decision-making during public health emergencies.

https://www.pmlive.com/pharma_news/covid-19_could_be_key_in_identifying_viruses_with_pandemic_potential_1500967