immunity News and Research

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How antibody production in the lungs can determine severe respiratory infections

Recent findings describe how the presence of certain antibodies within the lungs can induce an immune response to minimize the effects of these infections.

2 Jun 2021

Old vaccines can stimulate the immune system to provide protection against other infectious diseases

Inoculation with live attenuated vaccines (LAV) such as those used against TB, polio or measles can stimulate the immune system to provide protection against other infectious diseases, including COVID-19, says a new study.

2 Jun 2021

Researchers find natural metabolites help SARS-CoV-2 escape antibodies

An international team of scientists has identified a human molecule — biliverdin — as a potential severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) target. The binding of the heme metabolite to the N-terminal domain of SARS-CoV-2 is associated with the virus’s ability to dodge the immune system by suppressing antibody binding to the spike protein.

2 Jun 2021

NIH starts Phase 1/2 clinical trial evaluating mixed COVID-19 vaccine schedules

The National Institutes of Health has started a Phase 1/2 clinical trial in which adult volunteers who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 will receive booster doses of different COVID-19 vaccines to determine the safety and immunogenicity of mixed boosted regimens.

1 Jun 2021

Compelling evidence of SARS-CoV-2 exposure and neutralizing antibodies in domestic cats in Peru

Although Peru is one of the countries most affected by the pandemic, no studies had been conducted to investigate SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence among domestic cats. Recently, researchers from Peru demonstrated the presence of neutralizing antibodies for the receptor binding-domain (RBD) of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein in cats in Lima, Peru. The owners of the cats in the study had confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection.

1 Jun 2021

Researchers identify common epitopes across SARS-CoV-2 viral variants

While several COVID-19 vaccine candidates have been developed and deployed to arrest the spread of SARS-CoV-2, concern among scientists and public health authorities is mounting over the immunity escape potential of emerging viral variants. To address this problem, a group of scientists in Germany has undertaken research to identify molecular targets across viral variants to aid in the development of second and third-generation vaccines and novel therapeutics.

1 Jun 2021

SARS-CoV-2 variants have higher transmissibility and a longer infectious period

Researchers analyzed data on three variants of concern and found that viral loads were higher and infection lasted longer for the B.1.1.7 variant. They all were more infectious than the original strain, and transmissibility also depended on population demographics.

31 May 2021

Report on the effectiveness of mRNA-1273 and BNT162b2 COVID-19 vaccines in Canada

The report has recently been published on the preprint server medRxiv* by Kwong et al. (May 28th, 2021) and focused on the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccines, confirming the supposed greater efficacy in preventing infection or severe outcomes following the administration of two doses.

31 May 2021

SARS-CoV-2 variants partially escape humoral immunity, but not T cells responses, study finds

Researchers at the Department of Viroscience, Erasmus MC, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Amsterdam UMC, and the Weill Medical College of Cornell University studied humoral and cellular immune responses to the wild type SARS-CoV-2, the B.1.1.7 variant (U.K. variant) and the B.1.351 variant (South African variant) in health care workers vaccinated with the BNT162b2 (Pfizer-BioNTech) mRNA vaccine.

31 May 2021

Novel protein interactions with ACE2 disrupted by SARS-CoV-2, contributes to COVID-19 pathologies

A severe and often fatal immune response called a “cytokine storm” can occur following SARS-CoV-2 infection. Some patients suffer from a range of complications several months after testing negative for SARS-CoV-2, and this is called ‘Long Haul’ or ‘Long’ COVID-19. The causes behind this phenomenon are not well understood.

31 May 2021

A novel multi-epitope COVID-19 vaccine developed using reverse vaccinology

A new study has been published in the Journal of Biomolecular Structure and Dynamics which focuses on the evaluation of E, M, N, ORF10, ORF8, ORF3a, and M proteins using bioinformatics tools to develop a multi-epitope COVID-19 vaccine. The researchers utilized in-silico methods to incite humoral and cellular immune responses.

31 May 2021

Researchers identify defensins as potential anti-SARS-CoV-2 agents

A recent study conducted at the Ohio State University, USA, and the Fudan University, China, has revealed that alpha-defensin human neutrophil peptide 1 (HNP1), a cationic antimicrobial peptide, can prevent severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) from infecting cells by destabilizing the viral spike protein and disrupting spike-mediated viral envelop – host cell membrane fusion.

31 May 2021

B.1.617.2 variant of SARS-CoV-2 is partially resistant to antibody-mediated neutralization

A team of scientists from France has recently conducted a study to evaluate the sensitivity of the B.1.617 variant of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) to antibody-mediated neutralization.

31 May 2021

Reusing old vaccines to boost innate immunity against COVID-19

The COVID-19 vaccine is currently the best form of protection against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and its variants. But a new perspective article published in the journal PNAS suggests it’s not the panacea to stopping SARS-CoV-2.

31 May 2021

New drug effectively prevents severe COVID-19 in mice infected with SARS-CoV-2

The drug diABZI which activates the body's innate immune response -- was highly effective in preventing severe COVID-19 in mice that were infected with SARS-CoV-2, according to scientists in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania

29 May 2021

Composition and function of gut microbiota are key in affecting immune responses to vaccinations

Varying immune response to vaccinations could be countered with microbiota-targeted interventions helping infants, older people and others to take full advantage of the benefits of effective vaccines, Australian and US experts say.

29 May 2021

DFG establishes new collaborative research centers to promote world-class research at universities

The Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) is establishing eleven new Collaborative Research Centers (CRC) to promote world-class research at universities. This was announced by the relevant Grants Committee, which met by video conference due to the coronavirus pandemic.

29 May 2021

Simple at-home taste test could predict duration and severity of SARS-CoV-2 symptoms

A JAMA Network Open research paper published today (26 May 2021) by Doctorpedia contributor Henry P. Barham, M.D correlating an association between the bitter taste receptor phenotype and clinical outcomes among patients with COVID-19 has confirmed that a simple at-home taste test could be a gamechanger in predicting duration and symptom severity of the virus.

29 May 2021

New, portable saliva screening test detects SARS-CoV-2 in five-minutes

International research led by Monash University and the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity has achieved a proof of concept for a new, fast, portable saliva screening test that uses an infrared light technology to confirm infection with SARS-CoV-2.

29 May 2021

New SARS-CoV-2 lineages continue to threaten pandemic control in England, suggests genomic study

A new study shows the pattern of the rise of various strains in the UK, as shown by the data collected by the COVID-19 Genomics UK Consortium. This allows the rise and fall of 62 different viral lineages to be traced through over 300 local authorities from September 2020 to April 2021.

28 May 2021

immunity News and Research

How antibody production in the lungs can determine severe respiratory infections

Old vaccines can stimulate the immune system to provide protection against other infectious diseases

Researchers find natural metabolites help SARS-CoV-2 escape antibodies

NIH starts Phase 1/2 clinical trial evaluating mixed COVID-19 vaccine schedules

Compelling evidence of SARS-CoV-2 exposure and neutralizing antibodies in domestic cats in Peru

Researchers identify common epitopes across SARS-CoV-2 viral variants

SARS-CoV-2 variants have higher transmissibility and a longer infectious period

Report on the effectiveness of mRNA-1273 and BNT162b2 COVID-19 vaccines in Canada

SARS-CoV-2 variants partially escape humoral immunity, but not T cells responses, study finds

Novel protein interactions with ACE2 disrupted by SARS-CoV-2, contributes to COVID-19 pathologies

A novel multi-epitope COVID-19 vaccine developed using reverse vaccinology

Researchers identify defensins as potential anti-SARS-CoV-2 agents

B.1.617.2 variant of SARS-CoV-2 is partially resistant to antibody-mediated neutralization

Reusing old vaccines to boost innate immunity against COVID-19

New drug effectively prevents severe COVID-19 in mice infected with SARS-CoV-2

Composition and function of gut microbiota are key in affecting immune responses to vaccinations

DFG establishes new collaborative research centers to promote world-class research at universities

Simple at-home taste test could predict duration and severity of SARS-CoV-2 symptoms

New, portable saliva screening test detects SARS-CoV-2 in five-minutes

New SARS-CoV-2 lineages continue to threaten pandemic control in England, suggests genomic study

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