SARS-CoV-3? New Coronavirus Strain from Pigs Shows Ability to Alter Human Genes and Raises Fears of Zoonotic Threat!

Medical News: A startling discovery by Chinese researchers has raised fresh concerns about the potential for animal viruses to cross over into humans. A newly isolated strain of porcine deltacoronavirus (PDCoV) not only infects certain human cell types but also causes significant disruptions to human genetic expression - fueling growing fears about future zoonotic pandemics.


SARS-CoV-3? New Coronavirus Strain from Pigs Shows Ability to Alter Human Genes and Raises
Fears of Zoonotic Threat!

Researchers from Shanxi Agricultural University (Jinzhong, China), Hebei Normal University of Science and Technology (Qinhuangdao, China), Xianyang Regional Wen’s Animal Husbandry Co. Ltd. (Xianyang, China), and Shanxi Medical University (Taiyuan, China) collaborated to isolate and analyze the new strain, named CHN/SX-Y/2023. This Medical News report delves into their alarming findings and why they matter to public health.
 
A New Pig Coronavirus with Dangerous Potential
PDCoV was first discovered in pigs in Hong Kong in 2012 and has since spread across the United States, China, Japan, Thailand, and Vietnam. It causes vomiting, diarrhea, and dehydration in piglets, often leading to death. Until recently, it was assumed to be largely contained within swine populations.
 
However, this study changes the narrative. The CHN/SX-Y/2023 strain was found capable of infecting human liver cells (specifically Huh7 cells) and even caused damage and genetic disturbances inside these human cells. Using advanced lab techniques, scientists infected various human and animal cell lines and observed which were most susceptible.
 
The PDCoV strain was able to invade not only traditional pig cell lines but also human hepatoma cells and chicken liver cells, causing cell death and immune reactions. Meanwhile, some other cell lines such as human kidney, monkey kidney, and bovine cells showed little to no susceptibility, hinting that while PDCoV’s ability to infect humans is real, it may be limited to specific cell types.
 
Massive Genetic Disruption in Human Cells
What is especially worrying is what happened to the human cells once infected. Transcriptomic (gene expression) analysis showed the virus triggered drastic changes in gene activity. Over 2,500 human genes were affected - 1,799 were turned on (upregulated), and 771 were shut down (downregulated).
 
The genes that were most impacted are involved in crucial immune and inflammatory responses, as well as metabolic functions like lipid breakdown. Genes such as TNFRSF9, FCGR1A, and PTGS2 were notably upregulated. These genes play key roles in cytokine signaling, inflammation, and even immune cell activation. The altered gene pathways included those responsible for responding to stress, controlling inflammation, and cellular defense - particularly the MAPK, TNF, and NF-κB pathways, which are known to be involved in severe immune responses.
 
Virus Triggers Autophagy and Ferroptosis in Cells ng>
In addition to messing with immune genes, the virus also appeared to hijack two major survival pathways inside human cells - autophagy (the cell’s internal recycling system) and ferroptosis (a type of cell death linked to iron and oxidative stress).
 
PDCoV infection boosted the levels of proteins like LC3-II, MFN1, ACSL4, and GPX4—all markers of autophagy and ferroptosis. These findings suggest the virus is manipulating the host’s cellular machinery to facilitate its own replication and survival, possibly at the cost of host cell integrity.
 
Evidence of Broader Public Health Risks
One major concern is the similarity between the new Chinese PDCoV strain and older human-infecting strains discovered in Haitian children in 2014 and 2015. Genetic sequencing showed that the CHN/SX-Y/2023 strain shares a common ancestor with these Haitian isolates, suggesting that cross-species infections may have already occurred.
 
The researchers also found that this new strain’s spike protein - the part that binds to host cells - is nearly identical to that of the HeN/Swine/2015 strain, raising red flags about its ability to latch onto human cell receptors. This receptor-binding domain, or RBD, plays a critical role in how viruses like coronaviruses cross over from animals to humans.
 
A Wake-Up Call for Future Pandemic Preparedness
This study is a powerful reminder that new zoonotic threats are constantly evolving. While PDCoV is not yet a confirmed human pathogen on a large scale, its ability to infect human cells and interfere with gene function is a red flag. It’s also part of a broader pattern seen in recent decades, where animal coronaviruses - like SARS, MERS, and COVID-19 - have successfully jumped species barriers and caused massive global disruption.
 
In the current study, the researchers provided one of the most detailed transcriptomic profiles of how PDCoV alters human cell biology. Their work lays the groundwork for future antiviral strategies and may help identify therapeutic targets that can block PDCoV infection or its harmful effects on human genes.
 
Conclusion
The findings from this research offer a chilling glimpse into the potential future of PDCoV and similar viruses. This new Chinese strain shows it can not only infect human liver cells but also wreak havoc on their genetic systems - triggering immune responses, inflammation, and even programmed cell death. More importantly, it shares genetic similarities with strains previously found in Haitian children, reinforcing the risk that PDCoV or similar coronaviruses could spill over into humans on a larger scale.
 
Although further research is needed to confirm whether this virus can be transmitted from human to human, the evidence so far highlights the need for vigilance. Close monitoring of PDCoV in both animal and human populations, along with accelerated research into vaccines and antiviral therapies, is essential. The world cannot afford to wait until another coronavirus silently crosses the species barrier.
 
The study findings were published in the peer reviewed journal: Frontiers in Microbiology
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2025.1534907/full
 
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