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Study shows how CD4+ T cells respond to SARS-CoV-2 virus

As scientists around the world develop life-saving COVID-19 vaccines and therapies, many are still wondering exactly why the disease proves deadly in some people and mild in others.

7 Oct 2020

Study determines frequency and patterns of T-cell escape mutations in HIV patients undergoing antiretroviral therapy

Immune cells that can recognize residual HIV-infected cells in people living with HIV (PLWH) who take antiretroviral therapy (ART) remain active for years, says a new study published today in eLife.

7 Oct 2020

IL-21 protein is a major part of immune response to chronic infections in the central nervous system

Researchers at Penn State College of Medicine now better understand the role of a protein, interleukin-21 (IL-21), in the immune system response to infections in the nervous system.

6 Oct 2020

Study fails to establish independent risk factors for SARS-COV-2 infection in HIV patients

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread worldwide, a new study published in the International Journal of Infectious Diseases in September 2020 reports that people with HIV infection are not at greater risk of COVID-19 compared to the general population.

5 Oct 2020

Another study finds cross-reactivity T cell responses against SARS-CoV-2

Using ELISpot and proliferation assays, researchers show strong responses in SARS-CoV-2 infected patients, but not so much in negative samples. However, there may be cross-reactive T cell responses from other human coronaviruses.

5 Oct 2020

Lung tissue in fatal COVID-19 shows broad cell tropism and extensive damage

In a recent preprint paper published on the medRxiv server, researchers demonstrated their investigation of fatal COVID-19 patients to assess infection in various cell types and the extent of damage it caused to the lung tissues.

30 Sep 2020

A detailed map of latent virus reservoir in individuals with HIV

The latent reservoir is the last bastion of HIV's resistance to a cure. But it is difficult to destroy because it is invisible: the cells in the reservoir harbor virus that is dormant, so they don't have any viral proteins on their surface that would give them away.

30 Sep 2020

J&J's COVID-19 vaccine shows potent immune response in phase 2 human trial

A multicenter phase 1/2a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial has been conducted recently to evaluate the safety, reactogenicity, and immunogenicity of a non-replicating adenovirus-based vaccine, namely Ad26.COV2.S against severe acute respiratory coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection.

28 Sep 2020

AI used to define the cytokine storm implicated in fatal COVID-19

A new study published on the preprint server bioRxiv* in September 2020 reports the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to identify an invariant or universal host immune response found in all viral pandemics so far. The association of this response with severe COVID-19 phenotypes indicates a new understanding of the human immune response in viral pandemics.

24 Sep 2020

Baseline T cell signatures predict clinical outcomes of SARS-CoV infection

In a recent bioRxiv preprint paper, researchers from the Department of Medical Informatics and Clinical Epidemiology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, and Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, discuss their study in mice that undergo detailed immunophenotyping before getting infected with SARS-CoV.

22 Sep 2020

Soluble ACE2 microbody blocks SARS-CoV-2 entry into lung cells

A new study by researchers at NYU Langone Medical Center and Weill Cornell Medical College and published on the preprint server bioRxiv* in September 2020 reports the potential of an angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2)-antibody Fc complex in a new format that seems to offer more significant inhibition of SARS-CoV-2.

21 Sep 2020

T cells on the front line of COVID-19 response

In the new study, published in the journal Cell, the team has found that the uncoordinated responses produced by the immune system, especially in people who are more than 65 years old, maybe the reason why older adults are more at risk.

17 Sep 2020

SARS-CoV-2 infection severity linked to superior humoral immunity against the S-protein

In a recent bioRxiv* preprint paper, Jenna J. Guthmiller et al., focus on the acute infection of SARS-CoV-2 and observe that the humoral immunity is distinctive with the infection stage and viral antigens.

16 Sep 2020

Keto diet could be beneficial for elderly COVID-19 patients

A recent study by researchers at Yale School of Medicine, New York University Langone Health and Washington University School of Medicine, claims that the ketogenic diet (high fat, low carbohydrate diet) is capable of mitigating clinical outcomes of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in elderly people by improving immune-metabolic functions and reducing inflammation. The study is currently available on the bioRxiv* preprint server.

14 Sep 2020

India's whole-virion inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine shows promise

Researchers in India have conducted a preclinical study demonstrating the safety and efficacy of a new candidate vaccine for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the agent that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

13 Sep 2020

New review explores the role of antibodies and T-cells towards an effective COVID vaccine

More than 100 companies have rushed into vaccine development against COVID-19 as the U.S. government pushes for a vaccine rollout at "warp speed" -- possibly by the end of the year -- but the bar set for an effective, long-lasting vaccine is far too low and may prove dangerous, according to Marc Hellerstein of the University of California, Berkeley.

11 Sep 2020

Sex-differential COVID-19 responses are mediated by kynurenic acid

Now, a new study by a research team from Yale University, USA, Edith Cowan University, Australia, and the University of Strathclyde, Scotland, and published on the preprint server medRxiv in September 2020 shows that kynurenic acid is the underlying factor which is responsible for these differences.

9 Sep 2020

Study reveals how B cells react to SARS-CoV-2

In an exciting immunological medRxiv preprint paper, researchers from Germany and Russia analyzed adaptive immune response in severely affected patients with coronavirus disease (COVID-19). They demonstrated a protracted immune reaction characterized by egress of B lymphocytes into the blood.

9 Sep 2020

Pfizer, BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine candidate shows promise in preclinical study

Researchers in the United States and Germany have conducted a study demonstrating the preclinical efficacy of a new candidate vaccine against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the agent that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

9 Sep 2020

The T cell responses in COVID-19 recovered individuals

A recent study demonstrates that functional CD4+ and CD8+ T cells specifically targeting the entire proteome of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) remain active in individuals who have recovered from severe or mild coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Moreover, the magnitude of T cell response is correlated with the antibody response. The study is published in the journal Nature Immunology.

8 Sep 2020