The Thorny Problem Of COVID-19 Vaccines And Spike Proteins


Authors: W. Glen Pyle Almost since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, a piece of the SARS-CoV2 virus called the “spike protein” has drawn interest from researchers and healthcare professionals. New research by Yuyang Lei and colleagues published in the journal Circulation Research sheds new light on how the spike protein might play a critical role in […]

Evidence Shows that COVID-19 Attacks Blood Vessels


Authors: Carolyn Crist As researchers learn more about COVID-19, they’ve seen reports from patients about unusual rashes, blood clots, and strokes, which could all be linked to damaged blood vessels. Scientists are now looking at the vascular system, which includes arteries, veins, and capillaries, to monitor the various ways that the coronavirus attacks the body, […]

COVID-19 is, in the end, an endothelial disease


Authors: Peter Libby, Thomas Lüscher The vascular endothelium provides the crucial interface between the blood compartment and tissues, and displays a series of remarkable properties that normally maintain homeostasis. This tightly regulated palette of functions includes control of haemostasis, fibrinolysis, vasomotion, inflammation, oxidative stress, vascular permeability, and structure. While these functions participate in the moment-to-moment regulation […]

COVID-19 Vasculopathy: Mounting Evidence for an Indirect Mechanism of Endothelial Injury


Authors: Roberto F. Nicosia,∗∗ Giovanni Ligresti,† Nunzia Caporarello,‡ Shreeram Akilesh,∗ and Domenico Ribatti§ Patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) who are critically ill develop vascular complications characterized by thrombosis of small, medium, and large vessels. Dysfunction of the vascular endothelium due to the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection has been implicated in the pathogenesis of the COVID-19 […]

Endothelial dysfunction contributes to COVID-19-associated vascular inflammation and coagulopathy


Authors: Jun Zhang 1, Kristen M Tecson 1, Peter A McCullough 1 2 3 Great attention has been paid to endothelial dysfunction (ED) in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). There is growing evidence to suggest that the angiotensin converting enzyme 2 receptor (ACE2 receptor) is expressed on endothelial cells (ECs) in the lung, heart, kidney, and intestine, particularly in systemic vessels (small and […]

Endothelial dysfunction in COVID-19: Current findings and therapeutic implications


Authors: Matthias P Nägele 1, Bernhard Haubner 1, Felix C Tanner 1, Frank Ruschitzka 1, Andreas J Flammer 2 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) increases the risk of several non-pulmonary complications such as acute myocardial injury, renal failure or thromboembolic events. A possible unifying explanation for these phenomena may be the presence of profound endothelial dysfunction and injury. This review provides an overview on the […]

Mutational Similarities Between SARS-CoV-2 and Its Predecessors


Authors: | Original story from University of Nebraska–Lincoln, Credit: Pete Linforth/ Pixabay New research from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln has shown that the mutations arising in the COVID-19-causing SARS-CoV-2 virus seem to run in the family — or at least the genus of coronaviruses most dangerous to humans. After comparing the early evolution of SARS-CoV-2 against […]

How Precision Medicine, Genomics Research is Decoding COVID-19


Authors:  Jessica Kent Studies have sought to discover why the disease affects some individuals more severely than others, how communities can reduce the spread of infection, and which states or cities will likely see a surge of new cases. A critical feature of this research – and the key to achieving an enhanced understanding of […]

SARS-CoV-2 genomics and host cellular susceptibility factors of COVID-19


Authors: FENGYU ZHANG AND MICHAEL D WATERS Coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) caused by infection with a novel severe acute respiratory syndrome virus -2 (SARS-CoV-2) has evolved into a pandemic and a global public health emergency. The viral genomics, host cellular factors, and interactions are critical for establishing a viral infection and developing a related disease. […]

Primed” for Infection: Cells Damaged by Chronic Lung Disease Can Result in Severe COVID


Authors: TRANSLATIONAL GENOMICS RESEARCH INSTITUTE (TGEN) Results from a TGen-led international study suggest that SARS-CoV-2 takes advantage of genetic changes among patients with pre-existing lung diseases. The results of a study by an international scientific team co-led by the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), an affiliate of City of Hope, suggest that — like pouring water atop […]