Research
Title : | Identification of COVID-19 associated extracellular vesicles as a prognostic tool and an alternative to SARS-CoV-2 infection and transmission |
Area of research : | COVID-19 Research, Life Sciences & Biotechnology |
Focus area : | COVID-19 Prognostics |
Principal Investigator : | Dr Sukriti Sukriti, Assistant Professor, Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences (ILBS), New Delhi |
Timeline Start Year : | 2020 |
Timeline End Year : | 2020 |
Contact info : | sukritibiochem@gmail.com |
Details
Executive Summary : | This study hypothesises that EVs may serve as reservoirs of SARS–CoV-2, transmit COVID-19 infection to naïve cells and the EV associated SARS–CoV-2 RNA may also contribute in reactivation after the viral clearance. |
Outcome/Output: | This study found in all confirmed positive COVID-19 patients that the nasal swabs also had extracellular vesicles (EV) associated viral RNA. Whereas it was undetected in the plasma in the same patients but it was positive in 1 per cent of patients with EV associated SARS–CoV-2 RNA. Interestingly, the EV associated were of endothelial cells as detected using flow cytometry. |
Organizations involved
Implementing Agency : | Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences (ILBS), New Delhi |
Funding Agency : | Department of Science and Technology (DST), Govt of India |