Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has caused significant morbidity and mortality and new cases are on the rise globally, yet malaria-endemic areas report statistically significant lower incidences. We identified potential shared targets for an immune response to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) by immune determinants’ shared identities with using the Immune Epitope Database and Analysis Resource Immune 9.0 browser tool. Probable cross-reactivity is suggested through HLA-A*02:01 and subsequent CD8 T-cell activation. The apparent immunodominant epitope conservation between SARS-CoV-2 (N and open reading frame (ORF) 1ab) and thrombospondin-related anonymous protein (TRAP) may underlie the low COVID-19 incidence in the malaria-endemic zone by providing immunity against virus infection to those previously infected with . Additionally, we hypothesize that the shared epitopes which lie within antigens that aid in the establishment of the erythrocyte invasion may be an alternative route for SARS-CoV-2 via the erythrocyte CD147 receptor, although this remains to be proven.
SARS-CoV-2 and common immunodominant regions may explain low COVID-19 incidence in the malaria-endemic belt.
Reference
Iesa MAM, Osman MEM, Hassan MA, Dirar AIA, Abuzeid N, Mancuso JJ, Pandey R, Mohammed AA, Borad MJ, Babiker HM, et al. 2020. SARS-CoV-2 and common immunodominant regions may explain low COVID-19 incidence in the malaria-endemic belt. New Microbes New Infect. 38:100817. doi:10.1016/j.nmni.2020.100817.
Abstract