Writer: Nithila Vijayan
Editor: Isabella Io
Today, we will be diving deep into the world of COVID-19. I know that this topic can be very personal to some people, as they were faced with devastating challenges during this time, but there has been a new development that I would like to share with all of you!
Introduction
On May 20, 2024, a team of esteemed researchers from Columbia University Irving Medical Center, known for their groundbreaking contributions to the medical sciences, made a fascinating discovery about COVID-19. For a long time, these researchers have been at the forefront of studying this virus, and this new finding could potentially revolutionize our understanding and treatment of the disease.
In extreme cases of COVID-19, the lungs suffer severe damage from infections such as pneumonia, inflammation, and acute respiratory distress syndrome. The root cause of these infections has remained unclear until now.
The leading cause of extreme cases of COVID-19 is a type of cell death called ferroptosis, identified in 2012 by Columbia University researchers.
What Is Ferroptosis?
It is an unusual form of programmed cell death that happens when the cell's outer fat layer collapses. It significantly differs from normal cell death, which occurs in both disease contexts and normal processes like aging. It involves cells chopping up the molecules in their interior.
How Does This Affect COVID-19?
This affects COVID-19 because patients with COVID-19 have lungs that have a higher iron content. Ferroptosis is stimulated as it is an iron-dependent cell death process.
What Urged Scientists to Look Into Ferroptosis?
They realized that even though ferroptosis may be an instrumental part of normal bodily functions, it can also attack and kill healthy cells in patients with neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson's, Lou Greghig's disease, and Alzheimer's disease. The researchers then made a correlation between the two.
They wondered if ferroptosis, a process that can attack and kill healthy cells in patients with neurodegenerative diseases may occur in other diseases like COVID-19. This hypothesis led to a series of experiments and research studies.
They conducted a rigorous research study with therapeutic drug candidates who took medication to halt ferroptosis from occurring in their bodies. The study involved a diverse group of patients with various conditions. When the researchers analyzed the data, they found a significant positive change between the condition the patients started at and where they stood at the study's end, providing strong evidence for the potential effectiveness of this approach.
Many questions remain, but this discovery is a significant breakthrough. It's like finding a key to a locked door. Patients with extreme cases and wide-ranging infections and diseases now have a glimmer of hope as this discovery could potentially lead to new treatments and improved outcomes!
Imagine the number of lives that can be saved with this discovery.
That's all I have for you today, and I hope you enjoyed this blog!
Sources & Works Cited
Daily, Science. “Study Offers New Detail on How COVID-19 Affects the Lungs.” ScienceDaily, ScienceDaily, 20 May 2024, www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/05/240520122754.htm#:~:text=In%20some%20severe%20cases%20of,has%20until%20now%20remained%20unclear.
University, Columbia. “Study Offers New Detail on How COVID-19 Affects the Lungs.” COVID-19 Affects The Lungs, 2024, news.columbia.edu/news/study-offers-new-detail-how-covid-19-affects-lungs.
Zandkarimi , Qiu B. “Fatal Covid-19 Pulmonary Disease Involves Ferroptosis.” Nature Communications, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2024, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38769293/#:~:text=COVID%2D19%20lungs%20display%20dysregulation,and%20cancerous%20lung%20epithelial%20cells.
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