"From Sickness to Strength: The Evolutionary Power of Sugar-Coated Cells"
Researchers at the University of California, San Diego, have been studying the role of sugar chains called glycans and sugar molecules known as sialic acids in human evolution and disease susceptibility. They found that our ancestors lost one type of sialic acid, Neu5Gc, which left humans vulnerable to certain diseases. The presence of Neu5Ac, another type of sialic acid, may be associated with the severity of diseases like Covid-19. The researchers also discovered that the consumption of red meat, which contains Neu5Gc, may lead to inflammation and an increased risk of cancer. Additionally, they found that a mutated form of a sugar-binding gene receptor called CD33, which protects against Alzheimer's, may have emerged as an adaptation to gonorrhoea. These findings shed light on the complex relationship between sugar-coated cells, human evolution, and disease.