Iowa State University Scientists Uncover Clue to Why Pigs Don't Get Sick from Coronavirus

Iowa State University scientists have made a significant discovery that sheds light on why pigs don't get sick from the coronavirus. Studying the effects of the virus on pigs, researchers Rahul Nelli and Luis Gimenez-Lirola found that pig cells undergo apoptosis, a controlled form of cell death, at a much higher rate than human cells when infected with the virus. This natural response allows pigs to avoid symptoms and limit viral replication, a potentially crucial clue for developing new treatments for humans infected with COVID-19.

Key Takeaways:

• Pigs can be infected with the coronavirus, but the infection is self-limited, and they don't show clinical signs of disease.
• Researchers found that pig cells undergo apoptosis, a controlled form of cell death, at a much higher rate than human cells when infected with the virus.
• The pig cells' ability to undergo apoptosis may be a key factor in helping pigs avoid symptoms after exposure to SARS-CoV-2.
• Human cells are more likely to undergo necrosis, a less controlled form of cell death, than apoptosis.
• Pig cells are roughly 100 times more likely to undergo apoptosis than human cells.
• The researchers aim to trigger apoptosis in human cells to avoid severe symptoms in people infected with the coronavirus.
• Further study could lead to therapies designed to trigger apoptosis in human cells.

Statistics:

• Pigs are 100 times more likely to undergo apoptosis than human cells when infected with the coronavirus.
• The researchers aim to identify all the genes activated during the infectious process and compare them with other animal species.
• The study found human cells undergo apoptosis in response to coronavirus infection at a much lower rate than pig cells.

Sources:

• Cell Death Discovery journal
• Iowa State University scientists, Rahul Nelli and Luis Gimenez-Lirola
• Research collaboration with Kruttika Phadke, Gino Castillo, Lu Yen, and Bryan Bellaire at Iowa State
• Amy Saunders, Rolf Rauh, and William Nelson of Maryland-based Tetracore, Inc.