SAN DIEGO (KGTV) – New research from UC San Diego School of Medicine shows how COVID-19 affects organs differently.
According to a study published in Stem Cell Reports, the disease reproduces in the lungs ten times more than in the brain.
However, it can be more harmful to the brain.
“Even though the viral infection is much lower in the brain, the lower infection has led to the destruction of these cells,” says Dr. Tariq Rana, a UC San Diego professor who led the study.
Dr. Rana’s lab used stem cells to create mini-organs of the brain and cells. They then infected the mini-organoids with a “pseudovirus”, a non-infectious version of SARS-CoV-2.
They found that the virus can bind to lung cells and replicate much more than in the brain.
However, the brain’s response to the virus may make it more dangerous to the central nervous system than previously thought.
When infected, the brain’s mini-organ increases its production of the TLR3 molecule, which helps recognize disease and activates immunity.
This molecule also helps facilitate programmed cell death.
“This could lead to toxic effects in the brain,” says Dr. Rana. He adds that this may explain why people with COVID-19 report symptoms such as “brain fog”.
The CDC estimates that 30% of people receiving COVID-19 report some form of neurological problem.
Dr. Rana’s research led to a larger grant from the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine to continue the study. Dr. Rana says his lab will look at treatment options.
They also intend to expand their research to include stem cells from people of different ethnicities. He hopes to find out how the disease affects people differently depending on their race.