Risk factors associated with greater severity to COVID-19 and mapping of metabolic pathways required for the anti-SARSCoV-2 response

• Grant number: 20/08744-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: August 01, 2020
• End date: March 31, 2022
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Immunology - Cellular Immunology
• Principal Investigator: Pedro Manoel Mendes de Moraes Vieira
• Grantee: Monara Kaélle Sérvulo Cruz Angelim
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biologia (IB). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 20/04579-7 - Study of the risk factors associated with greater severity to COVID-19 and mapping of the metabolic pathways required for the anti-SARS-CoV-2 response, AP.R

Abstract

The ongoing COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019) pandemic caused by the new Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome virus (SARS-CoV-2), has already been confirmed in more than 8 million people on all continents and has been responsible for more than 450 thousand deaths worldwide (World Health Organization - WHO, official data of June 19, 2020). This virus mainly affects the respiratory system, where more than 20% of those infected develop hypoxemia and Pneumonia. To date, there is no approved pharmacological treatment that is effective in preventing infection or treating patients with COVID-19. The only current treatment for severe cases is ventilation support with still unsatisfactory results.Although the likelihood of contracting SARS-CoV-2 appears similar across age groups, severity and case-fatality rate are increased by up to five times among elderly patients or those with comorbidities such as Obesity, Diabetes, High Blood Pressure and cardiovascular disease. Given that situation, the scientific community have been directed great efforts to elucidate the mechanism of action of the virus in that population to propose effective therapeutic approaches. Recent publications indicate that SARS-CoV-2 especially infects pulmonary epithelial cells and macrophages, altering their metabolism to induce pathways favourable to their replication. Thus, investigating specific metabolic pathways is extremely promising to improve the antiviral response, which implies greater production of interferons by the patient. That said, this project aims to investigate the metabolic pathways that interfere with viral replication and the induction of interferons and to identify the factors responsible for the greater severity of COVID-19 in diabetic and obese patients. Through this study, it is expected to obtain further clarification on the mechanisms related to SARS-CoV-2 infection in order to suggest therapies aimed at controlling the spread of the disease and improving the quality of life of infected individuals. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

SOARES, JULIANA C.; SOARES, ANDREY C.; ANGELIM, MONARA KAELLE S. C.; PROENCA-MODENA, JOSE LUIZ; MORAES-VIEIRA, PEDRO M.; MATTOSO, LUIZ H. C.; OLIVEIRA JR, OSVALDO N.. iagnostics of SARS-CoV-2 infection using electrical impedance spectroscopy with an immunosensor to detect the spike protei. Talanta, v. 239, MAR 1 2022. (18/18953-8, 18/22214-6, 20/08744-2, 20/04579-7)