GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Nearly 10% of lung transplants go to patients after COVID-19 infections. That’s according to the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS).
West Michigan researchers are discovering why.
Xiaopeng Li is an associate professor for Michigan State University. He discovered those with post-COVID lung fibrosis had an increase of a gene called ATP12A.
“We don't know why some patients are not getting fibrosis after COVID infection,” said Li. “We found out this gene, if you turned this gene on, could be contributed to lung fibrosis.”
Li explained the gene causes a more acidic environment in the lungs. This makes it difficult to get mucus out of the lung. This can lead to lung scarring and eventually the need for a lung transplant.
“Post-COVID effect to the lung health is still being actively investigated, even though the pandemic is over,” said Li.
Li published his findings in the American Journal of Respiratory Cell and Molecular Biology. It was published alongside Reda Girgis, the medical director of the lung transplant program at Corewell Health, and Kun Li of Cleveland Clinic.
Girgis called the discovery “exciting,” and says it has realistic therapeutic impact.
“Our hypothesis has been that when this ATP12A is overactive, which we're finding in the lung samples that we studied, that that leads to a more acidic airway lining fluid,” said Girgis. “Then that can potentially, through a variety of different mechanisms, actually promote the pulmonary fibrosis.”
Girgis said the next step is formulating a compound drug to suppress the activity of the gene.
“Our ultimate vision here is that we're going to be able to develop a therapy that can attenuate their disease and perhaps either delay or prevent the need for a lung transplant,” said Girgis.