Doctors may soon be able to predict whether your flu infection will be life-threatening or whether you will recover quickly.
Scientists have identified a gene that is associated with whether patients hospitalized for viral respiratory infections experience only mild illness or life-threatening complications.
Scientists have identified a gene that is associated with whether hospitalized patients with viral respiratory infections experience only mild illness or life-threatening complications.
According to the new study published in cellExpression levels of the gene, OLAHis crucial for determining the severity of the disease.
Dr. Brendon Chua, a viral and translational immunologist at the Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity at the University of Melbourne and co-author of the study, says: “Our first aha moment came when we analyzed patients hospitalized with avian influenza A(H7N9). There we discovered a consistent association between high expression levels of OLAH and fatal consequences.
“Conversely, patients who recovered showed very low OLAH Expression throughout her hospital stay.
Patients severely infected with the seasonal influenza virus, SARS-CoV-2 or respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), as well as children with multisystem inflammatory syndrome, a rare but serious complication of COVID-19, also have elevated levels. OLAH Expression.
The OLAH The gene encodes an enzyme, oleoyl acyl carrier protein hydrolase (OLAH), that mediates the production of a fatty acid. Higher expression of the gene leads to higher fatty acid levels, which worsens viral infections.
“Further studies in animal models and cell cultures showed that OLAH plays a crucial role in the development of life-threatening inflammation associated with respiratory viruses,” says Chua.
“What’s interesting is that we all have this gene, but its expression varies in the early stages of a respiratory infection, which is why some of us recover faster while others suffer severe complications.”
The research team is now working on the development OLAH-based diagnostic methods for examining hospital patients. They are also researching how OLAH can contribute to the development of therapeutic treatments for viral pathogens.
Professor Katherine Kedzierska from the University of Melbourne, head of the Human T cell Laboratory at the Doherty Institute and co-author of the study, says: “We are really excited about the potential of OLAH The gene is intended to serve as a universal indicator of disease severity in various respiratory infections.
“Imagine if your doctor could predict whether your respiratory infection would become life-threatening or whether you would recover quickly? Our findings suggest that OLAH expression levels could be used as a cutting-edge tool to assess patient prognosis, providing physicians with critical insights for early risk assessment and personalized treatment strategies.”
