Just as bricks are key components in the construction of a building, molecules known as amino acids are essential components in the construction of proteins in the body. Recently, researchers in Japan investigated the role of a particular group of amino acids, known as D-amino acids, in the progression of viruses such as the influenza A virus (IAV) and Sars CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19.
In a new study published in BBA – Molecular Basis of Disease, the research team discovered a link between D-amino acids and severe viral infection in both animals and humans.
While our understanding of COVID-19 has evolved during the COVID-19 pandemic, methods for predicting disease severity and treating severe COVID-19 infection have been somewhat limited. D-amino acids have previously been shown to function as biomarkers for diseases such as kidney disease. However, the importance of D-amino acids in viral infection has yet to be explored, which led the research team to investigate whether D-amino acids are affected during severe IAV or COVID-19 infection.
We first evaluated serum D-amino acids levels in a mouse model of severe IAV infection and found that D-amino acids were significantly reduced in these mice compared to uninfected mice. When we tested the serum of patients with severe COVID-19, we also found reduced levels of D-amino acids compared to those of healthy control subjects.”
Shihoko Kimura-Ohba, lead author of the study
Next, the researchers explored the effects of supplementation with a specific D-amino acid known as D-alanine in mouse models of IAV and COVID-19 infection. IAV mice exhibited a severe reduction in body weight that was mitigated by D-alanine treatment, whereas survival rates were improved in COVID-19 mice that received D-alanine treatment.
“Our results indicate that D-amino acids may serve as biomarkers to reflect the severity of viral infection,” says lead author Tomonori Kimura. “In addition, although the observed effects of D-alanine supplementation were limited, D-alanine treatment may help improve clinical outcomes in patients with severe viral infection.”
The mechanism of D-alanine in improving viral prognosis has not yet been elucidated. However, the research team’s findings indicate that D-amino acids represent promising biomarkers and therapeutic options for the evaluation and treatment of serious viral infections, including those associated with COVID-19.
Font:
Magazine reference:
Kimura-Ohba, S., et al. (2022) D-alanine as a biomarker and therapeutic option for severe influenza virus infection and COVID-19. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) – Molecular basis of disease. doi.org/10.1016/j.bbadis.2022.166584.
Source: news.google.com