Pesquisadores testam edição de genes do vírus para barrar covid-19

Imagem mostra momento em que célula é infectada pela covid-19 Divulgação / Fiocruz

Pesquisadores das faculdades de Medicina (FMRP) e de Odontologia (FORP) da Universidade de São Paulo (USP), do campus de Ribeirão Preto, estão criando uma forma de combater a covid-19 a partir da edição genética.

O método usa ferramentas de biologia molecular e bioinformática com o objetivo de desestabilizar a entrada do vírus e impedir uma infecção. Os cientistas conseguiram modificar a proteína ACE2, que o novo coronavírus usa para entrar nas células humanas.

“O sistema possibilita simular a inserção de mutações específicas na região do gene ACE 2 que codifica a parte da proteína que adere ao vírus, sem prejudicar as funções fisiológicas da molécula”, diz à Agência Fapesp Geraldo Aleixo Passos, professor da FORP e da FMRP-USP e coordenador do projeto.

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A pesquisa ainda se encontra em fase de testes, mas Passos afirma que durante a pesquisa foi possível modificar apenas a região que interage com o vírus, o que significa um bom resultado, mas não necessariamente uma solução para a pandemia.

“Podem existir outras regiões da ACE2 que interagem com o SARS-CoV-2, mas atacamos a que é mais conhecida”, explica.

Até o momento medicamentos candidatos a combater o vírus pela inibição dessa entrada do gene na célula tem como efeito colateral o aumento da pressão arterial, como a cloroquina.

O próximo passo da pesquisa é realizar testes em vitro com grupos de virologistas.

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Entenda quais são as etapas do covid-19 e como ela age no corpo

Este texto foi publicado primeiro em http://noticias.r7.com/tecnologia-e-ciencia/pesquisadores-testam-edicao-de-genes-do-virus-para-barrar-covid-19-26052020

Via RSS publicado em https://vitorolig.tumblr.com/post/619239364405411840

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