NEW YORK, BRONX (ORDO News) — The ongoing COVID-19 virus pandemic has affected millions of people around the world, causing not only respiratory symptoms but also a range of other complications. One of the most alarming facts is the increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease and stroke in those infected with this virus. A recent study funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has shed light on the connection between COVID-19 infection and these potentially life-threatening conditions.
The scientists involved in the study focused on older adults with pre-existing fatty deposits, known as atherosclerotic plaques, who were exposed to COVID-19. Their goal was to find out whether the virus directly infects arteries and how this might contribute to the development of cardiovascular complications. The study was published in the journal Nature Cardiovascular Research and found a significant link between SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, and inflammation in artery walls.
Previous studies have shown that SARS-CoV-2 can infect various tissues in the body, including the brain and lungs. However, little was known about its effect on the coronary arteries. The researchers found that once the virus enters arterial cells, the body’s immune system sends white blood cells called macrophages to fight the infection. These macrophages also play a role in removing cholesterol from the arteries. When overloaded with cholesterol, they turn into foam cells.
The researchers hypothesized that if SARS-CoV-2 directly infects artery cells, it could lead to increased inflammation in pre-existing plaques. To test this theory, experiments were conducted using tissue samples from the coronary arteries and plaques of people who died from COVID-19. They confirmed the presence of the virus in these tissues. Additionally, in a laboratory setting, they infected artery and plaque cells, including macrophages and foam cells, from healthy patients with the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The virus successfully infected these cells and tissues, demonstrating its direct impact on arterial health.
The study also showed that SARS-CoV-2 infects macrophages to a greater extent compared to other cells in the arteries. Foam cells laden with cholesterol were particularly susceptible to infection and unable to effectively clear the virus from them. This suggests that foam cells may serve as a reservoir for SARS-CoV-2 in atherosclerotic plaques. In people with more plaque and therefore more foam cells, COVID-19 symptoms may be more severe or prolonged.
Michel Olive, Ph.D., acting deputy director of the Basic and Early Translational Research Program at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), part of the NIH, commented on the significance of the findings. “We have known since the early days of the pandemic that people who become infected with COVID-19 have an increased risk of developing heart disease or stroke within a year of infection,” she said. “We believe we have uncovered one of the reasons for this.”
Chiara Jannarelli, MD, assistant professor at New York University Grossman School of Medicine and senior author of the study, emphasized the broader implications of the findings. “Although our study focused on older adults with pre-existing plaque, it is possible that SARS-CoV-2 could infect arterial cells in any person infected with the virus,” she explained. This highlights the need for further research to better understand long-term cardiovascular disease. consequences of COVID-19 and development of targeted interventions.”
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News agencies contributed to this report, edited and published by ORDO News editors.
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