CXCL10 biomarker proteins are linked to the discovery of new emerging respiratory viruses

Abstract

Viruses in the respiratory tract, including those not on the original test panel, might be detected by measuring CXCL10 protein levels in the sample. Scientists and doctors need to keep an eye out for new, developing variations that might elude existing therapies and catch us off guard, as the recent coronavirus epidemic has revealed. Many methods exist for discovering novel viruses that pose a risk to human health. We could learn more about viruses that might one day infect humans by keeping an eye on animal disease. However, there is a lot of territory to cover in the hunt, and not all animal infections can infect people. Researchers from Yale University have devised a nasal swab test that may quickly warn specialists of the existence of an emerging threat in a community without actually detecting the virus1. Initial testing suggests it has promise as a fast and accurate method of detecting otherwise undetected infections. While screening animal or pooled human samples may reveal hitherto unknown viruses, this method does not reliably detect human disease-causing viruses. This new research expands on previous work by part of the same team that investigated a discrepancy in findings from previously collected nose swabs from individuals with suspected respiratory illnesses. Even while most nasal swab tests are designed to identify just around a dozen different viruses, previous studies have shown that in certain circumstances there is evidence that the body is fighting illness even when no virus is found. Nasal lining CXCL10, an antiviral protein, was found in significant concentrations2. The current research used a comprehensive genetic sequencing approach to examine previously collected nose swab samples where CXCL10 was abundant, and they discovered the presence of an uncommon influenza virus called influenza C2. The same procedure also revealed four instances of COVID-19 that were not discovered at the time of sample collection3,4. Hundreds of nasal swabs may be processed through a hospital every week without turning up any evidence of a known infection, but the presence of CXCL10 would suggest that the body has detected the presence of a virus, making the sample warrant further investigation5. Therefore, even if we do not find a virus in a sample, the immune system’s response may help us identify previously unknown strains. The researchers believe that a large number of newly developing viruses might be detected and studied using this method. That indicates that checking for CXCL10 might help reduce the number of samples that need to be tested for unidentified viruses. Even while it would not always be successful, it would help researchers find new outbreaks more quickly. Investigation into additional proteins that share this correlation, as well as the role that nasal bacteria play in indicating the presence of a virus, might be pursued in future studies. Ethical approval None. Sources of funding None. Author contributions R.A.: conceptualization, data curation, writing-original draft preparation, writing—reviewing and editing. B.K.D.: data curation, writing-original draft preparation, writing—reviewing and editing. K.D.: data curation, writing-original draft preparation, writing—reviewing and editing. T.B.E.: writing—reviewing and editing, visualization, supervision. Conflicts of interest disclosures The authors declare that they have no financial conflict of interest with regard to the content of this report. Research registration unique identifying number (UIN) Not applicable. Guarantor Talha Bin Emran Consent All authors read the manuscript and agree for publications. Provenance and peer review Not commissioned, internally peer reviewed.