Researchers linked to Masonic Medical Research Institute in Utica, New York investigated the link between COVID-19 and heart disease. The found the virus damages heart muscle in an inflammatory pathway independent of ACE-2 receptors. Medical News Today explains the spike protein could provide that route. Could a viral protein spike your heart in that sense?
Could the Viral Spike Protein Harm Your Heart?
The Utica researchers investigated other findings that up to 62% of hospital patients with COVID-19 experienced cardiac injury. Moreover, other research confirms patients who shelter at home are also at increased risk of cardiovascular conditions. Therefore they hoped to understand this better in the search for new treatments promoting cardiac health.
But their keynote finding was the spike protein could inflame the heart muscle leading to heart injury. “It’s already known from the clinical side that COVID-19 infection can induce heart injury, the lead study author explains. “However, what we don’t know is the mechanistic details of how this occurs.
“What we suspect is that the spike protein has unknown pathological roles. Our data show that the spike protein from SARS-CoV-2 causes heart muscle damage. That’s why it’s important to get vaccinated and prevent this disease,” he told Medical News Today on August 1, 2021.
More About the Mechanisms Behind This
What we do know is the COVID-19 virus enters healthy cells using the spike protein on its surface. It first engages its host’s receptor ACE2 enzyme, and then attempts to invade via this route.
“Host natural immunity is the first line of defense against pathogen invasion,” the lead study author explains. “Moreover, heart muscle cells have their own natural immune machinery too.” However, it’s apparently possible this response could also damage the heart muscle and even kill cells. Their next step is to investigate mechanisms causing this.
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