The Spike Protein, DNA Methylation, Reinfections and Rapid Aging

A synthesis of two recent studies provides deep insight into the ominous problems of rapid aging associated with even asymptomatic (re)infection.

Two people, blue and red, born at the same time, will always share the same chronological age (gray arrow timeline measured in years). However, because of genetic, epigenetic, and environmental factors and lifestyle choices, they may progress through the functional decline that characterizes biological aging at different rates. Shown here, red ages biologically more quickly than blue, likely associated with earlier onset of lethal disease. As illustrated, in early life, red and blue are assumed to have the same biological age.

DNA Methylation Clocks in Aging: Categories, Causes, and Consequences
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6520108/

Readers may recall that I coauthored a paper with Luc Montagnier and other distinguished researchers in the summer of 2021 where we observed that SARS-CoV-2 was almost certainly accelerating biological age.

Le SARS-COV2 accélérerait l’âge biologique
https://www.francesoir.fr/opinions-tribunes/le-sars-cov2-accelererait-lage-biologique

However, we were uncertain as to exactly what the mechanism(s) was. I have read two recent studies, which I believe can now answer that question.

DNA Methylation is a record of lifetime environmental exposures to agents which increase the risk of age-related disease. Think of it as rings in the trunk of a tree. Each ring in this case represents an exposure, and the larger the “trunk” you have of these exposures, the larger your risk is of acquiring an age-related disease, such as cancer, neurodegeneration or metabolic syndrome.

SARS-COV-2 (and by integration, the Spike Protein) is a significant source of DNA Methylation – disturbingly even in an asymptomatic infection.

We characterized the temporal trajectory of blood epigenetic remodeling in 133 participants in a prospective study of young adults before, during, and after asymptomatic and mildly symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection. The differential methylation caused by asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic infections was indistinguishable. While differential gene expression largely returned to baseline levels after the virus became undetectable, some differentially methylated sites persisted for months of follow-up, with a pattern resembling autoimmune or inflammatory disease.

Even more disturbing, this methylation set the stage for an ANTIPROTECTIVE epigenetic landscape.

The clinical trajectory in the young adults and in a diverse cohort with more severe outcomes was predicted by the similarity of methylation before or early after SARS-CoV-2 infection to the model-defined postinfection state. Unlike the phenomenon of trained immunity, the postacute SARS-CoV-2 epigenetic landscape we identify is antiprotective.

A methylation clock model of mild SARS-CoV-2 infection provides insight into immune dysregulation
https://www.embopress.org/doi/full/10.15252/msb.202211361?cookieSet=1

When this data is combined with the finding of a recent report on viral persistence in cadavers brings us to an alarming conclusion.

Specimens (tissue samples) with a cycle-threshold (Ct) value of ≤25 in the SARS-CoV-2 RNA detection were considered appropriate for obtaining good-quality viral genome sequences (World Health Organization, 2022). Following this criterion and based on Spike-gene sequences, we were able to characterize 27 SARS-CoV-2 genomic RNA from 17 cases (excluding F, N, P, and U cases).

Thus, infectious SARS-CoV-2 was confirmed after supernatants from tissue extract added on Vero E6 cells in 9 out of 21 lung samples (2 from reinfection cases), as well as in extrapulmonary organs, including 14 out of 21 hearts (4 from reinfection cases), 6 out of 21 livers (3 from reinfection cases), 6 out of 21 kidneys (1 from reinfection cases), and 3 out of 16 small intestine samples (1 from reinfection cases).

Viable SARS-CoV-2 Omicron sub-variants isolated from autopsy tissues
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10240073/

Please note, the above held true REGARDLESS of vaccination status!

What this shows us is that not only does the virus remain in the body, but that, as I have stated from the beginning, reinfections are frequent and can occur in rapid succession. This adds ring upon ring to our Methylation “Tree” rapidly accelerating our age, even in the case of asymptomatic infection.

I will continue to work on the pathology of the virus and on therapeutics. As always, thank you for your continued support.