Dr. Jawaher Alharthi, a Saudi researcher from Taif University and the University of Sydney, has made a breakthrough in medical research that could help prevent fatty liver disease and coronavirus complications.
Alharthi’s study identified the factors that increase the risk of complications from fatty liver disease and the possibility of targeting these factors to develop innovative treatments. She published her research in the scientific journal Nature Communications to document her rare findings.
In an interview with the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), Alharthi explained that her research could protect against fatty liver disease and reduce the risk of coronavirus complications in patients with the condition. She identified pivotal genes that, when reduced, cause severe imbalances in bodily functions and increase immune activity due to inflammatory cytokines.
With her research team, Alharthi managed to carry out modifications that contribute to bringing the gene back to normal levels in the cell. “This discovery would make a major shift concerning treating the aforementioned diseases and achieving a qualitative and new medical breakthrough,” Alharthi added.
Fatty liver disease is prevalent worldwide, affecting nearly a quarter of the world’s population. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Arab Gulf countries are among the states with high rates of the disease. Alharthi’s study found that a gene-related factor is behind the increased deaths among fatty liver patients who also suffer from coronavirus. “The coronavirus has shown an ability to alter the genetic makeup of the infected person in a way that enhances the spread of the fatty liver disease and hence a deterioration of the patient’s health condition and also causes other related diseases and disorders,” she explained.
Alharthi identified the pivotal gene (MBOAT7), whose level drops severely when a person suffers from both fatty liver disease and coronavirus. This drop leads to severe disruption in the functions of human body cells and an increase in immune activity, resulting in the surge of production of inflammatory cytokines.
“Praise be to God; this discovery has helped to protect the fatty liver patient from complications of the coronavirus and delayed recovery” Alharthi stated.
Source: Saudi Press Agency