Death in severe COVID-19 could be due to cell damage contributing to excess inflammation: Study

NEW DELHI: Organ damage and death due to severe COVID-19 could be because of disruption to the mitochondria, or a cell’s “energy-producing factory”, which contributes to ‘cytokine storm’ — or excessive inflammation commonly seen in these patients, a new study has found.

Researchers found that the damage or stress in mitochondria can trigger immune responses, specifically those that activate the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, or ‘RAAS’, network of hormones, proteins and enzymes.

The network is known to be essential for regulating blood pressure, but when overactivated, can trigger a string of processes causing organ damage, the researchers, including those at the University of Pittsburgh, US, said.

Source: PTI News

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