Ancestry.com may have discovered why men are more likely to get COVID-19
The world’s largest consumer DNA network said it has identified a region of human DNA that could be associated with increased likelihood of contracting COVID-19 — and it’s present only in males.
Ancestry.com said the preliminary findings, which have not been peer reviewed, could help experts understand more clearly why the disease affects more men than women.
The genealogy company plans to send a detailed report of its discovery to scientists around the world “to determine whether this finding holds up to rigorous scientific scrutiny,” Ancestry.com said in a news release.
“Ancestry is just one organization in the global scientific community mobilized to understand and fight this pandemic. When we launched the study two months ago, we did so with the intent of helping rapidly advance global understanding of COVID-19,” Dr. Ron Park, executive vice president of health and DNA at Ancestry.com, said in the release. “We are excited about this preliminary finding and the opportunity to advance further discussion on the interaction between human genetics and COVID-19 susceptibility and response.”
Six months since the coronavirus set off like wildfire, scientists are still trying to understand if a person’s genetic material, or DNA, plays a role in how likely they are to contract COVID-19 and how sick they get if infected.
Ancestry.com holds 24 billion historical records on family trees, photos and stories and has over 18 million people in its DNA network, about 600,000 of which have volunteered to participate in the company’s study on COVID-19 launched in April, according to the release.
The researchers found a DNA difference at a higher rate in men than women that is associated with a 44% “increased odds of COVID-19 susceptibility,” the company said.
To the team’s surprise, women with the same DNA difference do not seem to have increased risk of infection.
This difference lies near a gene called IVNS1ABP, short for Influenza Virus NS1A Binding Protein, the company explained. The gene creates proteins that help the influenza virus make copies of itself.
“If this gene is involved in COVID-19 susceptibility, this could suggest that SARS-CoV-2 and influenza may use a similar mechanism to multiply in the host’s cells and could help scientists understand why some people are more seriously affected by the virus,” Dr. Catherine Ball, Ancestry’s chief scientific officer, said in the news release. “It’s notable that this genetic association is observed only in men — it may be a clue that helps scientists understand why men are more likely to experience severe COVID-19 symptoms.”
The company said it will continue its study over the next several months.
This story was originally published July 14, 2020 at 3:11 PM with the headline "Ancestry.com may have discovered why men are more likely to get COVID-19."
