A recent study suggests that the genetic makeup of bats contains vital components that could be instrumental in combating viral diseases such as COVID-19 and even cancer.
The Kerala Health Department, on Wednesday, revealed that samples taken from fruit bats in Wayanad district showed the presence of antibodies to the deadly Nipah virus in their body.
Scientists believe that bats, which carry several diseases and yet remain immune to them, could treat many diseases better.
In a press statement, Armin Schebhen, a postdoctoral fellow at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CHSL) in New York, revealed that their research has provided crucial genetic clues that shed light on the extraordinary ability of bats to combat viruses and cancer.
The study findings and the results from other research could have tremendous potential for utilizing insights from bats to develop gene therapies, immunotherapies, and other treatments that can effectively mimic their anticancer and antiviral traits, Schebhen said.
Co-author of the research, Richard McCombie, said, "Bat genomes exhibit a remarkable positive selection of immune system genes."
"Bats don’t respond to infections the way we do. In retrospect, it’s not surprising that this difference in the immune system may be involved in both the ageing and cancer response,” McCombie said.
After comparing the genetic sequences to other mammal and human genomes, Schebhen and other researchers discovered that bats have undergone rapid evolution, leading to streamlined genomes that effectively combat both infection and cancer.
The researchers found a shift in the levels of two inflammatory protein-coding genes— interferon-alpha and omega.
Talking about bats' high tolerance for viruses, Schebhen said that bats “dialled down their immune system’s alarms” by shedding the genes that produce interferon-alpha.
"It essentially prevents overactive immune responses that harm healthy tissues. That kind of reaction is one of the reasons infections are so damaging to humans," Schebhen added.
Moreover, researchers also found that bat genomes contain more changes in cancer-related genes compared to other mammals, including six that repair DNA and 46 that suppress tumors.
The team of researchers is currently examining the regulation and expression of bats' immune genes throughout different body parts, exploring its potential for enhancing treatments for numerous diseases.