A recent study published in eBioMedicine has found that measuring the levels of two proteins — TMPRSS2 and ACE2 — in the nasal cavity could help predict a person’s risk of contracting COVID-19. The research also explored how the community of bacteria living in the nose, known as the nasal microbiome, might affect the production of these proteins.
SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, enters the body by binding to the ACE2 receptor and using the TMPRSS2 enzyme to infect cells. Since these receptors are highly present in the nasal passages — the first line of contact for airborne pathogens — researchers collected over 1,500 nasal swab samples from adults in Washington D.C.
The study revealed that people with higher levels of these proteins before infection were at greater risk of contracting COVID-19. In addition, the team identified different groups of nasal bacteria (called CSTs) and found that certain bacteria like Dolosigranulum pigrum reduced protein levels, potentially lowering infection risk, while others like Haemophilus influenzae and Staphylococcus aureus increased it.
This discovery could help shape new strategies to predict, prevent, and manage COVID-19 by monitoring nasal protein levels and microbiome composition.
