COVID-19 Study; Investigating ADE Sequences in Indonesia

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The D614G mutation that is believed to cause the COVID-19 coronavirus has spread quicker in 57.5 percent of the viral infection in Indonesia. However, further studies need to be conducted to confirm the mutation. 

“It needs our careful monitoring along with the right policy. A number of ASEAN countries also have the isolate with the D614G changes,” wrote Airlangga University’s professor of molecular biology, Chairul Anwar Nidom, on Tuesday, September 15. 

This was explained in the the research literacy with the lab team at the Profesor Nidom Foundation (PNF) which accompanied the publication entitled ‘the Investigation of the D614G Mutation and Antibody-Dependent Enhancement Sequences in Indonesia SARS-CoV-2 Isolates and Comparison to South Asian Isolates’ which has been published at the Systematic Reviews in Pharmacy.

He also cited the similarities with past viral outbreaks such as MERS, SARS, HIV, Dengue, Ebola, and Zika and noted the existence of the antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE) that causes antibodies to not be able to effectively neutralize the target virus. 

With the ADE motive, Nidom also suspects that it will change the virus-antibody binding affinity towards the FcRy, a receptor on monocytes-macrophage cells. This would eventually lead to the coronavirus to continue to affect cells and develop inside the body of the host. 

“ADE becomes a critical point in designing and developing a vaccine,” Nidom noted. 

The researcher reminds that past studies toward dengue candidate vaccines (DENV) gives a clear picture that the ADE can trigger the severity of the disease after vaccination. ADE has also contributed to the emergence of cytokine storm syndrome in the MERS and SARS cases. 

Nidom argues that the character studies toward COVID-19 taking place alongside the creation of pandemic control policies need to be considered.

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MOH KHORY ALFARIZI