British scientists have discovered a gene that doubles the risk of respiratory failure and death from COVID-19 and is more common among people of South Asian descent.
According to the Nature Genetics study by scientists at the University of Oxford, 60 per cent of people of South Asian background - compared with 15 per cent of people of European ancestry - carry the high-risk gene called LZTFL1.
James Davies, one of the lead researchers, said the discovery that the gene does not have an equal impact on people of different ethnicities was a crucial finding.
It could also explain why people of South Asian heritage are more vulnerable to COVID-19.
“The genetic factor we have found explains why some people get very seriously ill after coronavirus infection … There’s a single gene that confers quite a significant risk to people of South Asian background," Professor Davies told The Guardian.
He said other factors can contribute to a high rate of COVID-19-related health complications in these communities, including travelling on public transport, working in public-facing jobs and living in households with large multigenerational families.
According to the study, the LZTFL1 gene may prevent the cells lining the lungs from employing a protective mechanism they would otherwise activate against the virus.
The study also found that the high-risk gene does not alter the body’s immune cell function, meaning vulnerable people can still benefit from being vaccinated.
“Although we cannot change our genetics, our results show that the people with the higher risk gene are likely to particularly benefit from vaccination,” Professor Davies told the BBC.
A combination of cutting-edge molecular technology and artificial intelligence was used by the researchers at the British university to identify the gene.
