COVID-19 is not mild as most will develop lung fibrosis, 10 percent of all lung transplants in U.S. now go to post COVID patients!

COVID-19: A Silent Threat to Long-Term Lung Health
Despite the global narrative that COVID-19 is becoming milder, recent research reveals a darker reality. According to a groundbreaking study by researchers from Michigan State University, Corewell Health, and the Cleveland Clinic, the virus leaves a lasting impact on the lungs of many survivors, potentially leading to severe complications such as pulmonary fibrosis. This Medical News report delves into the findings of this significant research, shedding light on the potential long-term consequences of COVID-19 on lung health.


COVID-19 is not mild as most will develop lung fibrosis, 10 percent of all lung
transplants in U.S. now go to post COVID patients!
Image-AI-Generated by TMN

Thailand Medical News has already been sounding the alarms that majority who have been exposed to the SARS-CoV-2 virus irrespective if the infections were asymptomatic, mild, moderate or severe, will ultimately develop lung fibrosis. For some it might be in a short frame of time but for many it might be longer.
 
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/long-term-lung-healing-even-after-mild-or-moderate-covid-19-many-could-develop-lung-fibrosis
 
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/breaking-doctor-from-uc-san-diego-warns-of-new-covid-19-manifestations-such-as-dermatomyositis-muscular-pains-and-alerts-about-lung-fibrosis
 
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/breaking-covid-19-news-44-9-percent-of-post-covid-individuals-develop-lung-fibrosis-irrespective-of-asymptomatic-or-mild-infections-jn-1-is-worse
 
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/breaking-silent-tsunami-of-post-covid-lung-fibrosis-occurring-among-many-indian-researchers-warn-that-even-asymptomatics-are-at-risk
 
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/covid-19-news-sars-cov-2-triggers-epidermal-growth-factor-receptor-signaling-pathway,-leading-to-lung-fibrosis-and-lung-cancer-erlotinib-helps
 
https://www .thailandmedical.news/news/44-4-percent-of-indians-exposed-to-sars-cov-2-suffer-from-post-covid-lung-damage
 
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/unraveling-the-enigma-of-post-covid-lung-fibrosis-maladaptive-signals-drive-fibroproliferation,-cedars-sinai-researchers-reveal
 
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/long-covid-news-stanford-study-shows-that-innate-immune-cell-activation-causes-lung-fibrosis-that-can-lead-to-long-covid-breathing-problems
 
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/irrespective-of-severity-40-percent-of-post-covid-pneumonia-patients-still-have-impaired-lung-diffusion-and-22-percent-developed-lung-fibrosis-a-year-
 
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/great-news-most-post-covid-individuals-will-develop-lung-issues-similar-to-idiopathic-pulmonary-fibrosis-ipf-with-potential-serious-outcomes
 
The Rise of Lung Fibrosis Post-COVID-19
Pulmonary fibrosis, a condition characterized by scarring of the lung tissue, has emerged as a concerning complication for many who have recovered from COVID-19. The study, led by Xiaopeng Li from Michigan State University, Reda Girgis from Corewell Health, and Kun Li from the Cleveland Clinic's Florida Research and Innovation Center, reveals that COVID-19 triggers the activation of a gene known as ATP12A in the lungs. This gene activation leads to excessive mucus production and progressive lung scarring, which in many cases, becomes severe enough to necessitate a lung transplant.
 
The study underscores a worrying trend: nearly 10% of all lung transplants in the United States are now performed on patients suffering from post-COVID-19 complications. This statistic, drawn from the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), highlights the severe and lasting impact COVID-19 can have on respiratory health.
https://humanmedicine.msu.edu/news/2024-lung-transplants-covid-patients.html
 
This figure is expected to rise phenomenally over the next few years as lung fibrosis progresses slowly to a severe state and most people are not even aware that their lungs is slowly deteriorating till the latent stages where there is no hope for any treatments. Lung fibrosis cannot be picked up during routine health screenings where X-rays are only used to check on lung health. CT scans are the only choice of medical imaging to detect lung fibrosis.
 
Understanding the Role of ATP12A in Lung Damage
The research team focused on understanding why some individuals develop severe, lifelong lung complications following COVID-19. By analyzing lung samples from individuals undergoing lung transplants, the researchers found elevated levels of ATP12A in patients with post-COVID-19 pulmonary fibrosis. Notably, these elevated levels were similar to those found in patients with pulmonary fibrosis unrelated to COVID-19.
 
"Understanding how and why some individuals develop severe lifelong complications is critical to developing more effective post-COVID lung damage treatment," said Xiaopeng Li, an associate professor in the MSU College of Human Medicine's Department of Pediatrics and Human Development. Collaborating with Kun Li, Xiaopeng Li’s team investigated ATP12A expression in lung samples, discovering that COVID-19 directly increases ATP12A levels, which contributes to the development of pulmonary fibrosis.
 
This discovery is pivotal as it provides a potential target for therapeutic interventions that could benefit all pulmonary fibrosis patients, regardless of the origin of their condition. The next phase of the research aims to unravel the mechanisms by which COVID-19 infection elevates ATP12A levels and how this contributes to lung fibrosis, paving the way for improved treatments in the future.
 
The Link Between Small Airway Injury and Fibrosis
The study also draws parallels between pulmonary fibrosis caused by COVID-19 and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a similar condition with unknown origins. Both conditions are marked by small airway injury and loss, which the researchers suggest may be an early event in the fibroproliferative destruction of lung tissue. This connection is crucial as it highlights the potential for COVID-19 to cause long-term damage that mirrors other severe lung conditions.
 
To explore this further, the researchers investigated ATP12A expression in lung explant samples from 18 subjects undergoing lung transplantation. Seven of these patients had post-COVID-19 pulmonary fibrosis, while the others had non-COVID-19-related fibrotic interstitial lung disease. The findings were clear: ATP12A was significantly upregulated in the small airways of post-COVID-19 fibrosis patients compared to those with non-COVID-related fibrosis.
 
The Role of ATP12A in Mucus Production
One of the key findings of the study is the correlation between ATP12A expression and mucus production in the lungs. The overexpression of ATP12A in post-COVID-19 fibrosis contributes to the accumulation of thick, sticky mucus in the small airways. This excessive mucus production not only obstructs the airways but also creates a breeding ground for bacterial infections, further exacerbating lung damage.
 
The study utilized both human lung samples and animal models to confirm these findings. In mice infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19, ATP12A was induced in the small airways, leading to excessive mucus accumulation. This induction was observed as early as four days after exposure to the virus, highlighting how quickly COVID-19 can start affecting lung health.
 
Moreover, the research showed that the thick respiratory mucus observed in COVID-19 patients shares similarities with the mucus found in cystic fibrosis, another condition known for its severe lung complications. This finding further emphasizes the potential severity of post-COVID-19 lung complications and underscores the importance of finding effective treatments.
 
Potential Therapeutic Avenues
Given the role of ATP12A in promoting lung damage and mucus production, the researchers suggest that inhibiting this gene could be a promising therapeutic strategy. In previous studies, the use of a potassium-competitive proton pump blocker, vonoprazan, successfully blocked the effects of ATP12A, reducing mucus production and lung scarring. These findings provide hope for developing treatments that could prevent or mitigate the long-term lung damage caused by COVID-19.
 
Conclusion: COVID-19's Lasting Impact
The study’s findings highlight the significant and potentially lifelong impact of COVID-19 on lung health. As nearly 10% of lung transplants in the U.S. are now attributed to post-COVID-19 complications, it is clear that the virus is far from mild for many individuals. The activation of ATP12A and its role in promoting lung fibrosis and mucus production offers a crucial insight into why some people experience severe long-term effects from the virus.
 
As researchers continue to explore the mechanisms behind these complications, the hope is that new treatments can be developed to protect the lungs of COVID-19 survivors.
 
The study findings were published in the peer-reviewed journal American Journal of Respiratory Cell and Molecular Biology.
https://www.atsjournals.org/doi/10.1165/rcmb.2023-0419LE
 
For the latest on COVID-19 Induced Lung Fibrosis, keep on logging to Thailand Medical News.
 
Read Also:
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/covid-19-news-brazilian-study-shows-that-sars-cov-2-infections-induce-more-pronounced-lung-extracellular-matrix-deposition-than-other-causes-of-ards
 
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/japanese-scientists-uncover-pathways-involved-in-lung-fibrosis-by-using-new-mouse-model