August 9, 2022
Keio University
Tokyo Medical and Dental University
Osaka University
The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo
Kitasato University
Kyoto University
Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST)
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), continues to be a threat to society two years after the pandemic began. To combat this, a collaborative research group, "The Corona-Suppressing Task Force," was launched in May 2020, bringing together experts from diverse fields including infectious disease, virology, molecular genetics, genomic medicine, computational science, and genetic statistics. With strong support from healthcare workers on the front lines of the COVID-19 response, more than 100 hospitals nationwide have participated. Through the cooperation of over 6,000 patients as of the end of July 2022, the group has grown into a research consortium with the largest collection of biological samples in Asia.
The Corona-Suppressing Task Force conducted genomic analysis of these COVID-19 patient samples and performed the first large-scale genome-wide association study in Asia to comprehensively compare the genotypes of COVID-19 patients with those of healthy individuals. The results revealed that a genetic polymorphism (variant) in the region of a gene called "Dedicator of cytokinesis 2 ( DOCK2 )," known for its important role in immune function, is associated with the risk of severe disease in non-elderly individuals aged 65 and under. Furthermore, through detailed analyses including RNA-seq analysis, single-cell RNA-seq analysis, pathological analysis, cell experiments, and animal experiments, the team found that DOCK2 is not only a marker for severe COVID-19 but also a therapeutic target for the disease. These findings are expected to lead to new therapeutic strategies in the future.
The results of this research were published in the online edition of the international scientific journal "Nature" on August 8, 2022 (UK time). The Corona-Suppressing Task Force will continue its activities as a public instrument for society, working alongside patients and healthcare professionals fighting against the novel coronavirus to overcome it and prepare for the next pandemic.
For the full press release, please see below.