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This winter, tohave a stronger immune response to the invaders (especially viruses that enter your lungs, blood cells and wreak havoc and cause inflammation) you need to eat a diet high in plant-based foods. Doctors have begun recommending to all their patients that they switch to a mostly plant-based diet, especially those in the highest risk groups for the coronavirus: Overweight, diabetic, over 60, and male. One doctorurges all his patientsto eat mostly fruit and vegetables and stay away from inflammation-causing meat, dairy, and processed food, in light of the surge in cases of COVID-19.

Your immune system's response is the only thing that can fight COVID. All other therapies doctors can offer are in support of your immune system, to help it mount its defense. If your system is weak or overtaxed with other existing conditions, including obesity or diabetes, it can over-react, creating the dreaded "cytokine storm" of inflammation that leads to a cascade of complications that make it harder for your body to self-regulate as it attempts to create antibodies to the virus (essentially molecules that recognize the virus as invaders and deploy cells that fight and destroy the invaders).

You can protect your Immunity by eating foods that give it the armaments it needs. Immunity is built when your body has to fight off everything fromeveryday aging to viral outsiders and infections. And the building blocks of your immunity arehelped by the micronutrients in your food, such as antioxidants and vitamins and minerals, and nothing delivers those better than fruits and vegetables, legumes and nuts and seeds.

The flip side is also true, that studies show a diet high in red meat and processed foods canincreasethe inflammation in your body, and in the case of COVID-19, inflammation is the enemy. Patients who do the worst when confronted with this virus are those who are overweight, have chronic inflammation, high blood pressure, or are otherwise immune-compromised. The goal: Eat more fruist and vegetables, less meat and dairy and keep inflammation low.

Here are the foods that are shown to fight inflammation and boost immunity. Eat them now for a stronger immune system, whether you are dealing with COVID-19 or another potential disease that requires your body to be healthier now and for months and years to come. Inflammation on a cellular level is a factorin almost every disease known to man. To be healthier, meaning to build cells that are able to function without being bombarded from toxins, oxidization, infection, and internal destruction, opting for more servings of plant-based foods is your best bet. Here are the 15 foods that will add protection to your immune system.

These foods are known to supercharge your immune system, which is your body's defense against infection and illness. It works by recognizing cells that make up your body and will fight off anything unfamiliar. It destroys germs (bacteria and viruses) and parasites. Eat these to bolster your white blood cells and the supporting teams that keep them ready for battle.Healthline compiled the listand The Beet added even more research to bolster the facts.

Your body does not produce vitamin C, which means you need to get it daily to have enough to create healthy collagen (the building blocks for your skin and healing). Also known asascorbic acid, vitamin C is a water-soluble nutrient found inleafy greens and citrus, especially grapefruit, oranges, tangerines, lemons, limes, and clementines. It acts as an antioxidant,protecting cells fromdamage caused by free radicals.

How much do you need a day:The recommended daily amount to shoot for is 65 to 90 milligrams a day, which is the equivalent of one small glass of orange juice or eating a whole grapefruit. Almost all citrus fruits are high in vitamin C. With such a variety to choose from, it's easy to get your fill.

Want even more vitamin C,add red bell peppers to your salad or pasta sauce. One medium-sized red bell pepper contains 152 milligrams of vitamin C, or enough to fulfill your RDA.

Peppers are also a great source of beta carotene, aprecursor of vitamin A (retinol). VitaminAis important for healthy skin, your mucous membranes and your immune system.Beta carotene helps keep your eyes and skin healthy, as well. One cooked pepper has 19 percent of your daily recommended amount of beta carotene.

How much beta carotene do you need a day:You should try to get 65 to 90 milligrams of vitamin Ca day, which is the equivalent of one half of a medium-sized red bell pepper ora quarter of apepper and a glass of orange juice (or add pepper slicesto your spinach salad since spinach has vitamin C as well).However you want to round out your vitamin C needs, it's a good idea to addred pepper slices to your rotation since one pepper has more than two and a half times your RDA for vitamin C, so eat them all winter long.

Broccolimay be the most super of superfoods on the planet. It's rich in vitamins A and C as well as E. The phytochemicals in it are great for arming and strengthening yourimmune system.

Broccoli is a good source of lutein, a powerful antioxidant, and sulforaphane, another potent antioxidant. Itcontains additional nutrients, including some magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, and iron. The key to keeping its powerful nutrients intact and ready for helping the body's immune response is to cook it as little as possible or even eat it raw.

Lutein is one of 600 known naturally occurring carotenoids and is found in high quantities ingreen leafy veggies such as spinach and kale.

There's another thing you need to know aboutbroccoli,and why it's important to not overcook it. Broccoli contains sulforaphane, a gas that is a killer to a bug in the gardenand in the body.Sulforaphane is a sulfur-rich compound found in several cruciferous vegetableslike bok choy, cabbage, and kale, butbroccoli delivers the most. When a bug bites into the stalk, leaf, or flowering bud of the plant it releases this sulfuric gas that kills the invaders, thereby protecting the plant. This is the same agent that gives broccoli that sulfuric smell when you cook it, so don't overcook it since you'd rather all of that end up in your body than in the kitchen air. Cook it too much and the gas escapes into your kitchen, so if you want to keep it in the plant, and delivered it to your body, lightly steam the green and add it to your meal barely cooked through.

How much lutein should you eat in a day: There is no RDA for lutein, but experts say get at least 6 milligrams.

Garlicisn't just a great flavor-enhancer, it's essential for yourhealth. Ancient humans valued garlic as an infection fighter, which is why somuch of our traditional diets include it as a first ingredient (making pasta sauce for instance). Value it and use it liberally for fighting infections.

Garlics immune-boosting propertiesare tied to itssulfur-containing compounds, such as allicin. Allicin is thought to improve your immune cells' ability to fight off colds and flu, and viruses of all kinds. (Smelling more garlic on the subway? It could be smart coronavirus management.) Garlic also has anti-microbial and anti-viral properties thought to fight off infections.

How much should you eat in a day: The optimal amount of garlic to eat is more than most of us can fathom:Two to three cloves a day.While that may not be doable, realistically, some people take garlic supplements to get300-mg dried garlic in a powdered tablet.

Spinach is known as one of the world's healthiest foods.Not only does spinach deliver immune-boosting vitamin Cbut it also contains vitamins K,vitaminA, as well as vitaminsB2,B6,andE. It is also full of manganese, folate, copper, and calcium, and isconsidered nature's multivitamin, packed withantioxidants and beta carotene, which can help your body's natural defenses fight off infection.

How much should you eat in a day:Get one serving (about a cup) a day, as a side with dinner or in a salad for lunch. Keepfrozen or fresh spinachon hand and add it to everything: Smoothies and scrambles. Like broccoli, you get the most out of spinach when it's not overcooked, so just steam it to slightly wilt itto make sure it retains its nutrients. Raw is fine too, but a little bit of cookingallows you to better absorb the vitamin A and releases the other nutrients (slightly "injuring" a plant by heating it or chopping it causes it to release life-saving compounds, which you benefit from). Check out some spinach recipes here.

Ginger is another ingredient that has super properties when it comes to fighting off illness. It has been shown todecrease inflammation, which can helpif you get swollen glands or a sore throat or anyinflammatoryailment.

Gingerol,the main bioactive compound in ginger, is a relative of capsaicin, can be used in sweet or spicy dishes. It has been found to alleviate pain and fight nausea, which is the reason ginger ale was given for upset stomachs, back when it contained actual ginger. Now few store-bought formulations do. Make your own ginger tea. Gingerol is responsible for much of its medicinal properties. It has powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidantbenefits.

How muchshould you eat a day: Most recommendations land on 34 grams of ginger extract a day, or up to four cups of ginger tea, but no more than 1 gram a day if you are pregnant. Some studies have linked high dosages to an increased risk of miscarriage.

Like spinach, kale is a hero green. It is not only packed with vitamin C but also antioxidants and beta carotene, both of which give your immune system the healthy boost it needs to fight off invaders.

Don't overcook yourdeep leafy greens, since the more you cook them the less active the antioxidants will become, and you want them to be just hot enough to get released, but not overly cooked to get destroyed. If you eat kale raw or lightly steamed, you'll keep more of the nutrients intact.

How much should you eat a day:Aim for 1 cup fresh kale or 1/2 cup cooked perday, but this isthe right moment to try the raw or slightly wilted approach. Order warm or wiltedkale salad when you go out, or make it yourself with olive oil, pine nuts, and vegan parm.

Vitamin E in almonds will help ward off colds and flu and is key to your immune system humming along. Its afat-solublemolecule, meaning it requires the presence of fat to be absorbed, so nuts arethe perfect package for E to make it into your system.

How much should you eat in a day:A half-cup serving, or46 whole, shelled almonds, providesalmost 100 percent of your RDA of vitamin E. Almonds are great for you but they don't come with a "free" pass, since 1/4 cup is a serving and has 162 calories, so double that for your RDA and you're eating about 325 calories. Throw them into smoothies instead.

If you ever feel healthier for eating curry, it is probably because of the Tumeric, which is an ingredient that gives it its burnt orange color. But this highly pigmented spice is known for its anti-inflammatory qualities. The ingredientcurcumin hasbeen found to decrease muscle soreness after a hard workout. How it helps immunity? decrease exercise-induced muscle damage.

Tumeric bolsters theimmunesystem by stimulating antibody formation and people with auto-immune diseases are told by their doctors to take 500 mg of curcumin daily to reduce inflammation and stave off soreness.

How much should you eat in a day: Try adding extra Tumeric to your diet during periods of stress or during flu season. Or take500-2,000 mg ofcurcuminto help fight inflammation and power up your immune system.

Whether you prefer green tea or black tea, you will benefit from the compounds calledflavonoids, powerful antioxidants.Green tea has highlevels of EGCG, (epigallocatechin gallate) another hard-working antioxidant.

EGCG is known to boost immune function, and originally all tea leaves contain this anti-oxidant, but when black tea is fermented it deactivates mostof the EGCG. Green tea is steamed so the EGCG isstill active when you drink it.

Green tea also containsL-theanine, an anti-oxidant which appears to help in the production of T-cells in your body, the killerL-theanine may aid in the production of germ-fighting compounds in your T-cells.

How much green tea should you drink in a day: The optimal amount isthree to five cups in a day,but most people won't get to that level. Any amount is better than nothing. Swap out ausual beverage dailyfor green tea could improve your health.

Papaya deliversover twice yourrecommended daily amount of vitamin C inone fruit -- though you're likely to eat a few slices on a salad or in a smoothie.It also contains an enzyme called papain that has anti-inflammatory effects -- and inflammation is one factor in most illnesses, so avoiding it can help your body fight off bacterial infections like sinusitis.

Papayas containpotassium, vitamin B, and folate, which is a powerful cell rebuilder. Exactly how folic acid works to build immunity is linked to its role inprotein synthesis, and researchers think that any mechanism in which cells proliferate can be affected (which is why it's critical for pregnant women). People who are folate-deficienthave compromised immune systems.

How much folate should youeat a day: Whether you are pregnant or not, folate (vitamin B9) is a great vitamin to keep your cells healthy and strong. The recommendation is 400 micrograms a day, or get it from legumes, spinach, papayas, and avocados.

When you think of anti-oxidants, you should think of fruits that grow in the sun, since their vitamin pack comes from having to fight off the oxidation of the strong rays that beat down on them in the tropics. Kiwis are a great example. They are full of folate, vitamin K, vitamin C, and potassium.

These vitamins in combination work in the body to build healthy cells, fight infection and keep your immune system humming along. Vitamin K deficiency is rare but when people don't have enough they suffer from weak bones and compromised immune systems. The inflammation system in the body is also dependent on vitamin K, especially your killerT cells that mobilize and fight cancer and other diseases.

How much should you eat in a day: Vitamin K is one of the unsung heroes of the body. Women shouldget 90 micrograms a day, and menshould have120 micrograms.

Most seeds are chock-o-block with nutrients since they give the plant its healthy start. But sunflower seeds are especially healthy since they provide phosphorus, magnesium and vitamin B-6 as well as vitamin E.Your immune system needs vitamin E to function at full throttle.You can also get vitamin E fromavocados and spinach and broccoli.

How much should you eat in a day:Anywhere from1 ounce (30 grams) per dayto a healthy handful is considered healthy, but because they are high in sodium you might want to refrain from eating the entire bag. The raw seeds have 204 calories per quarter cup.

You've had miso soup at your favorite Japanese restaurant and perhaps even thought: "This tastes incredibly healthy! If a bit salty." Both thoughts are true. Miso is a fermented paste that adds a salty umami flavor to many Japanese dishes and soup. Most miso is made in Japan, where the ingredient has been used since the eighth century.

Misoneeds no preparation andadds a touch of saltiness to soups,marinades, and dressings. Some people credit miso as a factor in Japanese longevity. Japan has more centenarians per capita of the population than anywhere else in the world and Japan has one of the lowest rates of obesity.

The nutrients in miso -- which is a soybean paste that has been fermented with salt and a koji starter -- boostsimmune system functionby delivering healthy probiotics tothe gut, making yourmicrobiome healthier. How doesMiso benefit your immune system?It is a "sirt" food, which are foods that contain high levels of sirtuins or proteins that regulate cells and activate metabolism. A diet high in sirts is believed to lead to weight loss, increased wellness, and longevity.

How much should you eat in a day:Researchersbelieve that consuming one bowl of miso soup per day, as is the tradition in Japan,lowers the risks of breast cancer. Other than its high sodium content there is no reason to stay away from miso with all its varied health benefits. We say cheers to that.

In a day that starts with wearing your mask, nothing helps your body fight off infection better than a smoothie or bowl full of berries, especially those that are super-colorful and contain antioxidants that give the fruit their vibrant color.

Blueberries contain a flavonoid called anthocyanin, which specifically help boost your immune system and fight off systemic stress of any kind including toxins. In a recent study, researchers found that flavonoids play an essential role in yourrespiratory tracts immune defense system, especially timelyin light ofCOVID-19, which attacks the lungs first in many cases. People who eat a diet rich in flavonoids are less likely to get sick froman upper respiratory tract infection, or common cold than those who don't eat berries regularly.

How much should you eat: Get one cup of berries a day in a smoothie or bowl, as a snack or dessert. Your body will thank you and the calories burn slowly so you can eat them and not worry about a spike in blood sugar since the fiber in the fruit helps your body regulate blood sugar. As one doctor told us: No one ever got fat on fruit.

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15 Immune-Boosting Foods to Protect Yourself in Times of COVID-19 - The Beet

Passion fruit is found to have a multitude of health benefits. For one thing, the edible flesh and seeds contain powerful antioxidants and other nutrients to boost the immune system and cardiovascular health.

Medical News Today claims passion fruit is also a great source of fiber that keeps the gut healthy and prevents constipation and bowel disorders with only 17 calories per fruit, while the American Medical Association adds that fiber helps lower overall cholesterol levels, and therefore improves heart health.

But there are more health benefits of passion fruit:

Vitamin C versus viral diseasesAccording to Dr. Donald Marks, an internist and infectious disease expert with degrees in both immunology and microbiology, taking vitamin C is an excellent way to fight viral diseases. In my opinion, vitamin C is one of the best options, he told Newsmax. It is an antiviral and is readily available not only in fruits and vegetables but in a variety of over-the-counter supplements, as well as in throat lozenges and gummies.

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Passion fruit to boost heart health and immune system - FreshPlaza.com

Photo Submitted

Ashley Ross

Ashley Ross of the University of Cincinnati will give a virtual seminar titled "Developing tools to measure neuro-immune communication"on Zoomfrom 4-5 p.m. Friday, Dec. 4. The talk is free and open to the public.

Ross is an assistant professor of chemistry at the University of Cincinnati and faculty in the Neuroscience Graduate Program at UC. She earned her Ph.D. in 2014 from the University of Virginia under the guidance of Dr. Jill Venton. She completed her post-doctoral training in Rebecca Pompano's lab at the University of Virginia where she was an American Association of Immunology Careers in Immunology Fellow from 2016-2017. She began her independent career at UC in 2017.

Her research interests are diverse including fundamental investigations into the electrode-analyte interface, development of new electrochemical methods to probe neurochemicals in the brain and immune system, and the development of microfluidic and microengineered platforms to probe neurochemical-regulated signaling between the nervous system and immune system. Her work has been highlighted in the Analyst Emerging Investigator Series,ChemComm Emerging InvestigatorIssue, and the Female Role Models in Analytical ChemistryIssue in Analytical Bioanalytical Chemistry. She serves on the Advisory Board for the Features Panel of ACS Analytical Chemistry and is on the Board of Directors for the Society of Electroanalytical Chemistry. In her free time, she enjoys hanging out with her kids, painting, and singing.

Communication between the nervous system and immune system is vital for maintaining health yet remains difficult to probe with precise temporal and spatial resolution. The Rosslab uses a combination of electrochemistry and microfabrication techniques to close the current gaps in the field. Specifically, theyhave developed new electrochemical methods and electrode materials for fast-scan cyclic voltammetry (FSCV) which hasenabled themto expand these tools to new analytes involved in neuroimmune communication and other analytes previously not studied with real-time electrochemical techniques.

FSCV is a classic electroanalytical technique most often used in the brain to study neurotransmitter signaling on a 100-ms timescale; however, the Rosslab has expanded its utility to studying neurochemical events in immune organs like the lymph node. In addition, combining FSCV with microengineered platforms has provided an experimental platform to probe neurotransmitter signaling in multiple organs simultaneously ex vivo during communication. This talk will highlight some of the Ross lab'srecent work in this area on method development and the application of these methods to study new biology.

To attend the seminar,please visit the Zoom link.Meeting ID: 873 4638 0922Passcode: 8x&W7k)B

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Seminar on 'Developing Tools to Measure Neuro-immune Communication' on Friday - University of Arkansas Newswire

Until now, immunotherapy has relied on revving up just one arm of the immune system against tumors. But scientists reported Thursday that in animal experiments, they trained a different arm to beat back cancer, pointing to a new potential treatment pathway.

Existing cancer immunotherapies exploit the adaptive immune system. That is also what vaccines, like those being developed against Covid-19, target, by introducing a piece of a viral or bacterial invader to the adaptive system so it learns to fight that specific microbe. In contrast, the innate immune system the one we are born with recognizes pathogens and patterns of damage in a more general way. It was once thought to be fixed, but over the last several years, the innate system has revealed itself to be teachable, too.

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Training the innate immune system to thwart cancer could aid therapy - STAT

SEATTLE It's difficult to anticipate who will contract the coronavirus and how well their immune system will withstand the attack. We're taking external precautions by wearing masks, social distancing, and staying home but what else can we do lower our risk? We had the opportunity to talk with Dr. Samira Ummat from Longevity Medical Clinic about steps we can take to protect ourselves and strengthen our immune systems. She said it's possible for the body to improve immune response but it's not a one-size-fits all situation. It often involves a combination of increasing activity level, reducing stress, optimizing hormones, improving the quality and quantity of sleep, and optimizing micro and macronutrients.

To diagnose the best approach for each patient Longevity Medical Clinic starts with a free Health Analysis Appointment, "We offer two free tests, first a blood test, and secondly a special InBody test to help determine basic risk factors, such as dementia, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, brain shrinkage and more. Again, if you dont measure, you dont know."

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How to protect your health by strengthening your immune system - KING5.com

Some survivors of Covid-19 carry worrying signs that their immune system has turned on the body, reminiscent of potentially debilitating diseases like lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, a new study has found.

At some point, the bodys defense system in these patients shifted into attacking itself, rather than the virus, the study suggests. The patients are producing molecules called autoantibodies that target genetic material from human cells, instead of from the virus.

This misguided immune response may exacerbate severe Covid-19. It may also explain why so-called long haulers have lingering problems months after their initial illness has resolved and the virus is gone from their bodies.

The findings carry important implications for treatment: Using existing tests that can detect autoantibodies, doctors could identify patients who might benefit from treatments used for lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. There is no cure for these diseases, but some treatments decrease the frequency and severity of flare-ups.

Its possible that you could hit the appropriate patients harder with some of these more aggressive drugs and expect better outcomes, said Matthew Woodruff, an immunologist at Emory University in Atlanta and lead author of the work.

The results were reported Friday on the preprint server MedRxiv, and have not yet been published in a scientific journal. But other experts said the researchers who carried out the study are known for their careful, meticulous work, and that the findings are not unexpected because other viral illnesses also trigger autoantibodies.

Im not surprised, but its interesting to see that its really happening, said Akiko Iwasaki, an immunologist at Yale University. Its possible that even moderate to mild disease may induce this kind of antibody response.

For months it has been clear that the coronavirus can cause the immune system to run amok in some people, ultimately wreaking more damage to the body than the virus itself. (Dexamethasone, the steroid President Trump took after his Covid diagnosis, has proved effective in some people with severe Covid to tamp down this over-exuberant immune response.)

Viral infections cause infected human cells to die. Sometimes the cells die a quiet death but sometimes, and especially in the throes of severe infection, they can blow up, strewing their innards. When that happens, DNA, normally cloistered in coiled bundles inside the nucleus, is suddenly scattered and visible.

In the typical response to a virus, cells known as B immune cells make antibodies that recognize pieces of viral RNA from the virus and lock onto them.

But in conditions like lupus, some B cells never learn to do this and instead produce autoantibodies that glom onto DNA debris from dead human cells, mistaking them for intruders. Something similar may be happening in patients with Covid-19, the research suggests.

Anytime you have that combination of inflammation and cell death, there is the potential for autoimmune disease and autoantibodies, more importantly, to emerge, said Marion Pepper, an immunologist at the University of Washington in Seattle.

Dr. Woodruff and his colleagues reported earlier this month that some people with severe Covid-19 also have such unrefined B immune cells. The finding prompted them to explore whether those B cells make autoantibodies.

In the new study, the researchers looked at 52 patients within the Emory health care system in Atlanta who were classified as having either severe or critical Covid-19, but who had no history of autoimmune disorders.

They found autoantibodies that recognize DNA in nearly half of the patients. They also found antibodies against a protein called rheumatoid factor and others that help with blood clotting. Among the top half of the most seriously ill patients, more than 70 percent had autoantibodies against one of the targets tested, Dr. Woodruff said.

Its not just that these patients have an autoimmune-like immune response, he said. Its that those immune responses are coupled with actual true testable clinical auto-reactivities.

Some of the autoantibodies the researchers identified are associated with blood flow problems, noted Ann Marshak-Rothstein, an immunologist and lupus expert at the University of Massachusetts, Worcester.

Its very possible that some of the coagulation issues that you see in Covid-19 patients are being driven by these kinds of immune complexes, she said.

If the autoantibodies do turn out to be long-lasting, she said, they may result in persistent, even lifelong, problems for Covid-19 survivors.

You never really cure lupus they have flares, and they get better and they have flares again, she said. And that may have something to do with autoantibody memory.

Dr. Marshak-Rothstein, Dr. Iwasaki and dozens of other teams are closely studying the immune response to the coronavirus. Given the ease of testing for autoantibodies, it may soon become clear whether the antibodies were identified only because the researchers went looking for them, or whether they represent a more permanent alteration of the immune system.

Its not clear to me what it all means at this point, Dr. Pepper said. Its going to take a little bit of time to understand if this is something thats going to lead to downstream pathology.

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Some Covid Survivors Have Antibodies That Attack the Body, not Virus - The New York Times

The portion of people in Britain with detectable antibodies to the coronavirus fell by roughly 27 percent over a period of three months this summer, researchers reported Monday, prompting fears that immunity to the virus is short-lived.

But several experts said these worries were overblown. It is normal for levels of antibodies to drop after the body clears an infection, but immune cells carry a memory of the virus and can churn out fresh antibodies when needed.

Some of these headlines are silly, said Scott Hensley, an immunologist at the University of Pennsylvania.

Declining antibody levels after the acute infection has resolved is the sign of a normal healthy immune response, Dr. Hensley said. It doesnt mean that those people no longer have antibodies. It doesnt mean that they dont have protection.

The research also raised some fears about the ability of vaccines to help populations reach herd immunity, the point at which enough people would be immune to the coronavirus to thwart its spread.

Its too early to know how long immunity to the new coronavirus lasts, and whether people can be reinfected many months to a year after a first bout with the virus. Still, experts said worries about vaccines, too, are unwarranted.

The vaccine doesnt have to mimic or mirror the natural infection, said Shane Crotty, a virologist at the La Jolla Institute for Immunology. Certainly I wouldnt be alarmist about these data.

The new results indicate the prevalence of coronavirus antibodies in the broader population but not in specific individuals. Several studies looking at antibody levels in individuals have shown that after some initial decline, the levels hold steady for at least four to seven months.

The British report is based on three rounds of antibody blood tests carried out in 350,000 randomly selected people from June 20 to Sept. 28. The participants tested themselves at home for antibodies using finger-prick assays that deliver a yes-or-no result, much like a pregnancy test.

Over the three-month period, the proportion of people with detectable antibodies in their blood dropped to 4.8 percent from 6 percent, the researchers reported. The smallest decline was among people ages 18 to 24 and the biggest in those over age 75.

Looking at the data a different way, about 73 percent of people who had antibodies early on still produced a positive result months later, noted Dr. Antonio Bertoletti, a virologist at Duke NUS Medical School in Singapore. Thats not such a dramatic decline.

Antibodies also represent only one arm of the immune response, albeit the one that can most easily be measured. There are at least three other branches of the immune system that can fend off illness, so antibody levels dont present the full picture.

Its not the whole immune response, said Dr. Paul Elliott, an epidemiologist at Imperial College London who heads the project.

When the body encounters a pathogen, it rapidly produces antibodies that recognize the invader. Once the acute infection resolves, the levels decline as they must for purely practical reasons.

Our lymphatic system, where immune cells are, only has a finite amount of space, Dr. Hensley said.

Depending on the test used, the small amount of antibodies still circulating in the blood may not be enough for a positive signal. The test used in the study has a sensitivity of 84.4 percent, well below that of lab-based tests that hover around 99 percent. That means it may miss anyone who has low antibody levels.

For example, people with mild to no symptoms may have produced fewer antibodies than those with severe illness. Most of the people with positive results were ill in March or April, at the peak of the outbreak in Britain, but about 30 percent did not recall having any Covid-19 symptoms. Even a small decrease in the amount of antibodies may drop their levels below the limit of detection.

Confused by the terms about coronavirus testing? Let us help:

Were saying the antibody response has declined below the threshold of detection, Dr. Elliott said. This is not a surprise to anyone who works in the field.

Data from monkeys suggests that even low levels of antibodies can prevent serious illness from the virus, if not a re-infection. Even if circulating antibody levels are undetectable, the body retains the memory of the pathogen. If it crosses paths with the virus again, balloon-like cells that live in the bone marrow can mass-produce antibodies within hours.

A very small number of people may not make any antibodies. But even those people may have immune cells called T cells that can identify and destroy the virus. The vast majority of people infected with the coronavirus develop lasting cellular responses, according to several recent studies.

T cells are unlikely to prevent infection, but they may at least prevent serious illness by blunting the attack, Dr. Crotty said. Given all that, he said, interpreting low antibody levels to mean that immunity disappears, or that coronavirus vaccines will not be effective is wrong.

For example, the human papillomavirus elicits a terrible immune response and lousy antibodies, he said. But the vaccine with a single immunization elicits fantastic antibodies that are 99 percent protective in people for 10-plus years, just a complete night-and-day difference.

Vaccines can also be designed to provoke much stronger responses than the natural infection, he added.

Though criticizing many of the interpretations of it, experts said the new studys results are an interesting glimpse into the prevalence of antibodies at a population level.

The same research team is also testing hundreds of thousands of people for presence of the virus. Together, Dr. Elliott said, the studies offer a really powerful tool for policymakers to gauge the size of a countrys epidemic.

Link:
Why You Shouldnt Worry About Studies Showing Waning Coronavirus Antibodies - The New York Times

Winteralways gets us thinking about doing our best to ward off bugs and colds and this year, immunity is on our minds more than ever.

The immune system is a lot more complex than we often give it credit for a fascinating network of cells, organs, proteins and tissues with a very important job: to protect the body from outside invaders, like bacteria, viruses and parasites.

Its working away in the background continuously and many different factors play a role in how it functions, including number of things in our day-to-day lifestyles.

While avoiding bugs (with good hand-washing, etc) is one of the single most important things for keeping winter bugs at bay, our own habits and lives can also play a part in supporting our immune system as well as possibly doing it no favours at all.

Heres five ways you might be sabotaging your immune system

1. Smoking:

Its common knowledge smoking has a harmful effect on many different areas of the body, and the delicate balance of the immune system is no different.

Smoking increases inflammation in the body, which can eventually lead to chronic inflammatory disorders, such as heart disease, asthma and arthritis explains Emily Rollason, senior nutritionist at Holland & Barrett (hollandandbarrett.com).

Smoking can also reduce absorption and usage of certain nutrients that are beneficial for immune system support, such as Vitamins B12, C and D; in fact, its well known that smokers have higher requirements for these nutrients.

Rollason says quitting smoking is not only beneficial for your heart and lungs, but also vital to ensure your body can make a good recovery when it encounters a winter bug. Speak to a healthcare professional if you are looking to quit, as they can talk to you about ways they can support you through the process.

Quitting smoking can help your body to make a better recovery after colds and flus

2. Not getting enough sleep:

Missing out on good quality sleep is something that affects us in more ways than we realise. Getting the right amount of sleep is extremely important, particularly when it comes to the adaptive immune response, says Rollason.

Rollason explains that the adaptive response is basically when the body stores a memory of any previous invading pathogens, in order to help fight it off again in the future. The cells required for these processes are regulated and activated during sleep.

The body follows a natural internally regulated sleep and wake cycle, known as the circadian rhythm, and theres evidence to support that many cells in the immune system also follow this rhythm, with certain cells peaking during nocturnal sleep, Rollinson adds.

She adds that our bodies also burn lots of energy when combatting or recovering from illness, so sleep is really important in helping to fight off any bugs you encounter throughout the day.

3. Not eating a healthy balanced diet:

Everything we eat and drink has an effect on our body, and while its fine to treat yourself every now and then, regularly gorging on junk food does little to help our immune system, advises Dr Joshua Berkowitz, medical director at IV Boost (ivboost.uk).

Berkowitz says we should be eating nutritious food with lots of fresh seasonal fruit and vegetables.

Prioritise a balanced diet full of whole foods, with five to seven portions of vegetable and fruit per day, adds Rollinson, and factor in a good balance of good protein, quality carbohydrates and some healthy fats from good sources too.

Berkowitz also says: I recommend reducing sugar intake, as this increases inflammation in the body, which can slow down the immune system.

Emily Rollason, senior nutritionist at Holland & Barrett

4. Being deficient in vitamin D:

Vitamin D, also know as the sunshine vitamin, is an essential nutrient for healthy immune functioning, yet many of us are unknowingly running low.

Despite its name, vitamin D acts more like a hormone in the body, rather than a vitamin, says nutritionist Isabel Tarrant.

It works to activate key immune cells, known as T cells, which play a crucial role in fighting infections. The vitamin also supports immune functioning by regulating anti-microbial compounds and helping clear harmful bacteria from immune cells.

As most of our vitamin D comes from sunlight, government guidelines suggest people in the UK take a daily supplement during autumn and winter months, when there isnt enough sun to meet our needs.

Dr Joshua Berkowitz, of IV Boost UK

5. Poor gut health:

The gut is a very important part of the immune system, and theres increasing evidence to suggest we shouldnt overlook the power of our gut microbiome.

We have approximately 100 trillion live bacteria living inside of us, equating to 2kg of our body weight, says Tarrant. This friendly bacteria is essential for our health, and is involved in the smooth functioning of lots of different bodily processes, from the digestive and immune systems to your mood, brain health and skin.

Tarrant explains that gut bacteria produce metabolites, such as short chain fatty acids, which play a crucial role in regulating our T-cells, the key peace-keeper cells of our immune system. Gut bacteria also produce compounds which support the healthy functioning of white blood cells, known as macrophages, Tarrant adds, which are key for fighting off infections and harmful germs.

With stress and anxiety at a high at the moment, its easy for your gut health to suffer. Poor diet, high sugar and alcohol intake, excessive antibiotic usage, poor sleep and stress can all contribute to an imbalance in gut bacteria and an increase in negative bacteria, known as dysbiosis.

The good news is theres lots you can do to help improve your gut microbiome too and variety is key here. Try eating a more fibrous diet, advises Tarrant. Go for colourful plant foods to ensure you are consuming a diverse range of fibres, such as carrots, yellow peppers, berries, aubergine, spinach, red cabbage, beetroot, broccoli, legumes, nuts and seeds.

Prebiotics are another great way to promote a healthy gut too. These are live friendly bacteria, which can be found in foods such as sauerkraut, live yogurt, kombucha, kefir and tempeh. Alternatively, there are a range of probiotic supplements on the market to promote a healthy gut.

Consider your sleep and stress levels too. Emerging evidence shows a powerful bi-directional relationship between the gut and the brain, known as the gut-brain axis, and stress can cause havoc to the balance of positive and negative bacteria in your gut, says Tarrant.

Try to manage your stress levels by gentle walks in nature, meditation, yoga or talking to a friend. Promoting a healthy gut is all about lifestyle and wellbeing as a whole, which are key to supporting a healthy immune system this winter.

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Five ways you might be secretly sabotaging your immune system - The Irish News

Andrew Ellsworth, MD, Prairie Doc Published 9:28 p.m. CT Oct. 29, 2020

Andrew Ellsworth, MD(Photo: Submitted)

Indeed, there is a lot we can worry about in the world today. It can be so easy to let those problems invade our thoughts as we try to get some sleep.Ideally, our bedrooms are sanctuaries of peace and quiet and places of rest. But televisions, phones, computers, and other devices bring the world and its problems to our beds, and this is not healthy.

Sleep is one of the best ways to help keep our immune system strong to fight off infection and illnesses. And now more than ever, it is important to give our bodies the best chance at fighting off a cold, flu, and disease.Adults need seven to eight hours of sleep every night, while teenagers and elementary children need nine to ten hours.

Regular exercise is one way to help us sleep better. It is best to exercise during the day rather than right before bedtime. We sleep better if we avoid eating large meals within two to three hours of going to bed. But this doesnt mean we must go to bed hungry. We can reach for a small healthy snack like carrot sticks or apple slices.It can also help to keep a regular schedule and have a bedtime ritual, such as brushing our teeth after that final snack.

Reduce caffeine and alcohol consumption, especially near bedtime.And when stressed, we can prepare for better sleep if we take time to relax by gentle stretching, meditation, prayer, or deep breathing.

We can help ourselves by changing our behaviors, but if we experience persistent heartburn or reflux, restless legs, snoring, daytime fatigue, or use the bathroom frequently at night, its time to visit the doctor for assistance.

Finally, it helps to keep the bedroom comfortable, quiet, dark, and cool.Despite all their conveniences, consider removing those electronic devices from the bedroom. Screen time before bed, whether watching television, phones or laptops is a large and growing reason for insomnia. The bright light from screens tricks our minds into thinking it is daytime so be sure to use the night filter to decrease the amount of light they emit. And, since our bedroom is meant for sleeping, why not set a firm time to turn off all the devices for the day.

You better get up; people die in their sleep. Thats what my dad would say when he was trying to get me out of bed as a teenager. While true, the reverse is also valid, people can die from problems stemming from lack of sleep. So, lets get some sleep and stay healthy out there people!

Andrew Ellsworth, M.D. is part of The Prairie Doc team of physicians and currently practices family medicine in Brookings. Prairie Doc is broadcast on SDPB most Thursdays at 7 p.m. CT.

Read or Share this story: https://www.argusleader.com/story/news/brandon/2020/10/29/sleep-one-best-ways-keep-immune-system-strong/6080249002/

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Sleep is one of the best ways to keep immune system strong - Argus Leader

SEATTLE, Oct. 28, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --A COVID-19 immune response study has revealed new findings that suggest that treatments aimed at arresting the infection at the stage of moderate severity may be most effective. The symptoms of COVID-19 vary widely, from very mild to severe conditions requiring ICU care. Researchers comprehensively studied a large number of patients during the week following a COVID-19 diagnosis, and found that mild COVID-19 is very distinct from the moderate or severe forms of disease, which appear surprisingly similar.

For both moderate and severe COVID-19 cases, the team found that there is a sort of tug-of-war taking place, in which inflammation is promoting a stronger immune response, yet many of the key nutrients required for building that response are depleted. This leads to unusual and dysfunctional immune responses.

A paper describing these findings has been accepted by Cell, and appeared online today. The study was led by the Institute for Systems Biology (ISB) and Swedish in Seattle, with help from Merck (known as MSD outside the United States and Canada), BARDA, and several other institutions and companies (listed below).

"These findings have practical implications for treatment of patients with COVID-19. Since patients with moderate illness have not yet developed end organ damage, our data suggest that early in the disease course would be the best time to intervene with various treatment options to prevent the immune, protein and metabolite derangements seen with more severe disease," said Dr. Jason Goldman of Swedish, who is the clinical lead for the study. "Our translational data align with data from randomized control trials, which have shown greater benefits from antiviral therapies given early. These data also provide intriguing hypotheses about the targeting of host-directed therapies, or even nutritional supplementation."

The research team examined serial blood draws from 139 COVID-19 patients of all severities, from patients recovering at home to critically ill patients and in the ICU. From each blood sample, they measured thousands of proteins and metabolites to capture the environment of the circulating immune system. They also measured thousands of genes and proteins from individual immune cells. Finally, they utilized novel computational methods to merge all of these observations together to provide an integrated view of COVID-19 infection during the week following initial diagnosis.

"This is what we mean by 'systems biology' -- thoroughly measure every component of the whole system, and then use computational methods to reassemble it back together again," said ISB President Dr. Jim Heath, who was the scientific lead of the study.

"The resources provided from this work could provide high value in developing new therapies that might target metabolite starvation, immune dysfunction, or blood clotting, each of which we see emerge at the level of moderate disease," said Dr. Yapeng Su, an ISB research scientist and lead author on the study.

"This important and comprehensive study, in which Merck has been proud to participate, demonstrates the power of an integrated systems biology approach to dissect the complexity of molecular and cellular responses in patients suffering from COVID-19," said Dr. Roger M. Perlmutter, President, Merck Research Laboratories. "As we had hoped, the analysis defines a possible point of intervention in the progression of COVID-19 disease, which may in the near term permit the development of more effective, targeted therapeutics."

The COVID-19 Immune Response Study is made up by ISB, Swedish, Merck, Stanford University, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Adaptive Biotechnologies, Bloodworks Northwest, Gilead, Isoplexis, Metabolon, Nanostring, Olink, Providence Molecular Genomics Laboratory, Scisco Genetics and 10x Genomics.

Funding for this project comes from Merck and the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), the Wilke Family Foundation, the MJ Murdock Charitable Trust, the Swedish Medical Center Foundation, the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Gilead, Novartis, Amazon Web Services, Omeros, the Washington State Andy Hill CARE Fund, the Department of Defense, and the National Institutes of Health.

About ISB Institute for Systems Biology (ISB) is a collaborative and cross-disciplinary non-profit biomedical research organization based in Seattle. We focus on some of the most pressing issues in human health, including brain health, cancer, sepsis and aging, as well as many chronic and infectious diseases. Our science is translational, and we champion sound scientific research that results in real-world clinical impacts. ISB is an affiliate of Providence, one of the largest not-for-profit health care systems in the United States. Follow us online at http://www.isbscience.org, and on Facebookand Twitter.

About Swedish Founded in 1910, Swedish, affiliated with the Providence health system, is the largest nonprofit health provider in the Greater Seattle area. Swedish is comprised of five hospital campuses (First Hill, Cherry Hill, Ballard, Edmonds and Issaquah); ambulatory care centers in Redmond and Mill Creek; and a network of more than 115 primary care and specialty-care clinics located throughout the Greater Puget Sound area. Swedish is known as a regional referral center, providing specialized treatment in areas such as cardiovascular care, cancer care, neuroscience, orthopedics, high-risk obstetrics, pediatric specialties, organ transplantation and clinical research. In 2019, Swedish provided $228 million in community benefit programs, including $22 million in free and discounted care in Western Washington.

Contact: Joe Myxter 206.732.2157

SOURCE Institute for Systems Biology

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COVID-19 Immune Response Study Could Lead to More Effective Treatments - PRNewswire

New study finds coronaviruses are masters of mimicry, reproducing their host's immune proteins to remain invisible and help promote infection.

Colorized scanning electron micrograph of a VERO E6 cell (blue) heavily infected with SARS-COV-2 virus particles (orange). Image credit: NIAID

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and in nature, it also serves a practical purpose. Many plants and animals use mimicry to trick both prey and predators, but it takes on a deadly form when viruses employ similar strategies.

Viruses have adapted an arsenal of elegant and ever-changing strategies to evade detection by the immune system, one of which is to produce mimics of human immune proteins, such as cytokines, chemokines, and their receptors, that play a vital role in the bodys immune response. This allows them to promote infection and remain unseen and therefore unchecked by the hosts body.

Mimicry is a more pervasive strategy among viruses than we ever imagined, said Sagi Shapira assistant professor of systems biology at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. Its used by all kinds of viruses, regardless of the size of the viral genome, how the virus replicates, or whether the virus infects bacteria, plants, insects, or people.

Shapira is part of a team of scientists who published a new study in the journal Cell Systems, which demonstrates that coronaviruses like SARS-CoV-2 are adept at this, imitating human immune proteins that have implications in severe cases of COVID-19.

Using powerful computers and a program similar to 3D facial recognition software to match viral proteins with their immune protein mimics, the team scanned more than 7,000 viruses and over 4,000 hosts and uncovered 6 million instances of viral mimicry.

While this underscored the phenomenons prevalence, the team was surprised to find that some families of viruses, such as Papilloma and retroviruses, use it less than others. The coronavirus family on the other hand was found to exhibit a high level of diversification and structural promiscuity in the human proteins they mimic, with over 150 protein examples identified in the current study.

Interestingly, these include many proteins that control blood coagulation or activate plasma proteins called complements, which help target pathogens for destruction and increase inflammation in the body.

We thought that by mimicking the bodys immune complement and coagulation proteins, coronaviruses may drive these systems into a hyperactive state and cause the pathology we see in infected patients, said Shapira.

In a separate paper published in Nature Medicine, the Columbia researchers found evidence that functional and genetic dysregulation in immune complement and coagulation proteins are associated with severe COVID-19 disease. They found that people with macular degeneration (which is associated with enhanced complement activation) were more likely to die from COVID-19, that complement and coagulation genes are more active in COVID-19 patients, and that people with certain mutations in complement and coagulation genes are more likely to be hospitalized for COVID-19.

Since that paper first appeared this spring in a preprint, other researchers have also found links between complement and COVID severity and several clinical trials of complement inhibitors have been initiated. Shapira says the investigation of viral protein functions and mimicry suggests that learning about underlying virus biology could be one way to gain insights into how viruses cause disease and who may be at greatest risk.

Viruses have already figured out how to exploit their hosts, Shapira says. By studying viruses we can not only reveal fundamental principles in biology but also how they perturb cellular homeostasis and cause pathology. The hope is that one day we may be able to use this knowledge to fight back.

Beyond COVID-19, the information were gathering about how individual viral proteins workacross all viruses on Earthmay one day be leveraged as building blocks in medical and agricultural interventions.

Reference: Gorka Lasso, et al. A Sweep of Earths Virome Reveals Host-Guided Viral Protein Structural Mimicry and Points to Determinants of Human Disease, Cell Systems (2020). DOI: 10.1016/j.cels.2020.09.006

Adapted from press release provided by Columbia University Irving Medical Center

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Coronaviruses mimic immune proteins and hide in plain sight - Advanced Science News

Read: The pandemic is in uncharted territory

Jelic was among the doctors treating COVID-19 patients in New York in the spring, when hundreds of people were turning up at the citys hospitals everyday unable to breathe. Patients were crammed into hallways; doctors were overworked. Normally, Jelic says, she might have seen eight or 10 patients in a day. In April, she and two fellows were responsible for 60, any of whom might crash and need to be intubated.

Lack of knowledge about the virus constrained what doctors did. Hospitals initially favored ventilation in part because doctors feared that high-flow therapy oxygen could aerosolize the virus and spread it to staff who didnt have adequate supplies of personal protective equipment. (Now, of course, we know that the virus can be spread through aerosols generated from just normal talking and exhaling.) In some cases, aggressive intubation might have done more harm than good in patients who didnt need it. Doctors stopped putting every patient on a ventilator once they realized the benefits of less invasive oxygen therapy and even turning patients onto their bellies, also known as proning.

Because COVID-19 can, like many conditions, manifest so differently from person to person, knowing which patients might benefitor be hurtby a treatment is a key part of the learning curve. There isnt a one-size-fits-all treatment, says Nicholas Caputo, a doctor at Lincoln Hospital in the Bronx, who was one early advocate of proning. Ventilation is one example of a treatment that can help or hurt depending on the patient. Another is dexamethasone, a steroid that suppresses the immune system. The drug has been shown to reduce mortality in patients with severe COVID-19, whose immune systems have become hyperactive, but might harm patients with milder cases whose immune systems are still trying to clear the virus.

Read: Immunology is where intuition goes to die

Doctors have also learned to watch out for COVID-19s more unusual symptoms. The disease has been linked to kidney failure; those patients might need dialysis. Its also linked to blood clots; patients who show warning signs might need blood thinners. Seeing more cases of COVID-19 has also allowed doctors to refine details like the size of tubing used with ECMO, an artificial-lung technology for the sickest patients who arent doing well on ventilators.

A lot of this experience has been shared in real time and informally. J. Eduardo Rame, a cardiologist at Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals, helps convene a regular Zoom forum where doctors discuss the latest, such as how to use ECMO. Experiential learning, as Rame puts it, has been vital for sharing information about a new disease. But doctors are also trained to rely on data and randomized, controlled trials, not anecdotes. Were nowhere near the inflection point where we can have medical care dictated by evidence, Rame says, which puts doctors in a strange position. For now, they have experience to go on, which is better than nothing. But its not data.

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The Simple Rule That Could Keep COVID-19 Deaths Down - The Atlantic

From boosting immune system to lowering high blood pressure: Know the health benefits of spinach  |  Photo Credit: iStock Images

New Delhi: Spinach is loaded with vitamins, minerals and powerful antioxidants, making it a superstar among green leafy vegetables. This superfood has been shown to benefit health in several ways, from boosting the immune system to preventing heart disease and cancer. The leafy green is also a great addition to your weight loss diet as its very low in calories.

Whats more, this nutritious, versatile vegetablecan be consumed raw or cooked. Keep reading as we list some amazing health benefits that spinach can offer.

Spinach is one of the most nutritious foods that you can eat on the planet. However, the vegetable may cause some adverse effects in some people - such as those who are prone to kidney stones. The vegetable may also interfere with blood-thinning medication since its high in vitamin K1. Hence, individuals who are at risk of having kidney stones and those taking blood thinners may consult with their doctors or healthcare providers before eating large amounts of spinach.

Disclaimer: Tips and suggestions mentioned in the article are for general information purpose only and should not be construed as professional medical advice. Always consult your doctor or a dietician before starting any fitness programme or making any changes to your diet.

Get the Latest health news, healthy diet, weight loss, Yoga, and fitness tips, more updates on Times Now

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From boosting immune system to lowering high blood pressure: Know the health benefits of spinach - Times Now

Within the womb, a human fetus benefits from the protection of the placenta, limiting their contact with pathogens. However, once born, babies face a myriad of germs completely new to their bodies. Their immune system must rapidly develop to ensure early protection from infection. But what is exactly the dynamic of the immune system development in the first days of life?

To answer this question researchers from the Precision Vaccines Program at Boston Children's Hospital received funding from the Human Immunology Project Consortium (HIPC)/National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) to study the timing of activation of different components of the immune system during the first week of life. For the first time, they observe an acute immune response starting right after the birth, followed by the progressive increase in key factors of innate immunity.

"Our study has revealed the developmental changes of the immune system during the defining first 7 days of life, in two independent cohorts. Furthermore, we provide insights into the development of the immune system which appears to be initiated by immunological triggers associated with birth" says Dr Hanno Steen lead author of the study published in the open-access journal Frontiers in Immunology.

The researchers studied the inventory of proteins present in newborn blood plasma, in two independent cohorts in The Gambia (West Africa) and in Papua New Guinea (PNG), at birth and after the first, third, and seventh day of life. This approach enabled them to follow, with high sensitivity, the dynamic of immune components in the blood across the first week of human life.

Firstly, the team observes, right after birth, an increase of plasma proteins involved in an acute inflammatory response, suggesting an activation of the immune system development. This is followed by an increase of components related to an innate immunity pathway called the complement system, starting as early as 24h after birth. The complement pathway has a major role in innate immunity, through the recruitment of several complexes of proteins (C1 to C9) it can induce direct destruction of pathogens. Furthermore, as the majority of the complement proteins are increasing concentrations of complement inhibitors is decreasing, until a new increase on day seven. Finally, the analysis also reveals that antibodies transmitted by the mother are declining rapidly over the first week of life while antibodies related to the complement pathway activation (IgM and IgG1) increase. Altogether, these results suggest that the complement pathway could have a central role in neonatal immunity and could be an important defense mechanism against pathogens in infancy.

A better understanding of the immune system and its development during the first week of life is particularly important given the prevalence of infections in early life. Neonatal infections cause 700,000 annual deaths, representing 40% of mortality in children under five years of age. "Having a better understanding of the immune system at the beginning of life will be pivotal for the development of precision vaccines for the newborns, which is one of the major goals of the Precision Vaccines Program at Boston Children's Hospital" says Steen.

ReferenceBjerg Bennike T et al/ Preparing for Life: Plasma Proteome Changes and Immune System Development During the First Week of Human Life. Frontiers Immunology. Accessed October 22, 2020.https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2020.578505

This article has been republished from the following materials. Note: material may have been edited for length and content. For further information, please contact the cited source.

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How Do Our Immune Systems Develop in the First Days of Life? - Technology Networks

London, October 25

Some immune system molecules trigger the production of a non-functional variant of the human protein used by the novel coronavirus to enter and infect host cells, according to a study that sheds light on the body's natural defence against COVID-19.

The research, published in the journal Nature Genetics, examined the genetic information that codes for the ACE2 receptor, to which the SARS-CoV-2 virus must bind in order to enter and infect human cells.

In the study, scientists, including those from the Francis Crick Institute in London, analysed existing genetic databases and human cells to identify a new variant, or isoform, of ACE2 called MIRb-ACE2, which the SARS-CoV-2 virus cannot bind to.

"This variant of genetic information is the result of retroelements in our DNA, which can 'jump' around the genome impacting gene expression," said Kevin Ng, a co-author of the study from the Francis Crick Insitute.

"From looking at which other species also have this variant, it appears to be widely present in mammals, so it must have entered the human genome a long time ago," he added.

In order to understand the role this variant plays in the body's immune response to SARS-CoV-2, the scientists assessed the effects of exposing cells to interferons -- signalling proteins that are made and released by virus-infected cells.

They found that interferons increase the response and production specifically of MIRb-ACE2, while ACE2 is not affected.

According to the researchers, the findings allay concerns that interferon-based treatments for SARS-CoV-2 could inadvertently be helping the virus by bringing about an increase in coronavirus cell receptors in the body.

They said the coronavirus is not able to bind to MIRb-ACE2, which is also highly unstable.

"The non-functional MIRb-ACE2 isoform was likely responsible for results from previous studies that suggested interferons could be upregulating ACE2, as there was no distinction between these two isoforms," said George Kassiotis, another co-author of the study.

"This highlights how scientific knowledge about SARS-CoV-2 is constantly being revised and updated as new research is carried out. We still have a lot to learn, but we are making rapid progress," Kassiotis said.

The researchers also found that cells in the upper aero-digestive tract, including the mouth and the nose, express more MIRb-ACE2 than the functional ACE2, and this balance changes lower in this tract and in the intestines.

They believe more research is needed to understand why this difference occurs and the impact it might have on how the virus spreads in the body. PTI

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Body's immune response drives production of non-functional coronavirus 'gateway protein': Study - The Tribune India

Playing through the greenery and litter of a mini forest's undergrowth for just one month may be enough to change a child's immune system, according to a small new experiment.

When daycare workers in Finland rolled out a lawn, planted forest undergrowth such as dwarf heather and blueberries, and allowed children to care for crops in planter boxes, the diversity of microbes in the guts and on the skin of young kids appeared healthier in a very short space of time.

Compared to other city kids who play in standard urban daycares with yards of pavement, tile and gravel, 3-, 4-, and 5-year-olds at these greened-up daycare centres in Finland showed increased T-cells and other important immune markers in their blood within 28 days.

"We also found that the intestinal microbiota of children who received greenery was similar to the intestinal microbiota of children visiting the forest every day," saysenvironmental scientist Marja Roslund from the University of Helsinki.

One daycare before (left) and after introducing grass and planters (right). (University of Helsinki)

Prior research has shown early exposure to green space is somehow linked to a well-functioning immune system, but it's still not clear whether that relationship is causal or not.

The experiment in Finland is the first to explicitly manipulate a child's urban environment and then test for changes in their micriobiome and, in turn, a child's immune system.

While the findings don't hold all the answers, they do support a leading idea - namely that a change in environmental microbes can relatively easily affect a well-established microbiome in children, giving their immune system a helping hand in the process.

The notion that an environment rich in living things impacts on our immunity is known as the 'biodiversity hypothesis'. Based on that hypothesis,a loss of biodiversity in urban areascould be at least partially responsible for the recent rise in immune-related illnesses.

"The results of this study support the biodiversity hypothesis and the concept that low biodiversity in the modern living environment may lead to an un-educated immune system and consequently increase the prevalence of immune-mediated diseases," the authors write.

The study compared the environmental microbes found in the yards of 10 different urban daycares looking after a total of 75 kids between the ages of 3 and 5.

Some of these daycares contained standard urban yards with concrete and gravel, others took kids out for daily nature time, and four had their yards updated with grass and forest undergrowth.

Over the proceeding 28 days, kids in these last four daycares were given time to play in their new backyard five times a week.

When researchers tested the microbiota of their skin and gut before and after the trial, they found improved results compared to the first group of kids that played in daycares with less greenery for the same amount of time.

Even in that short duration of the study, researchers found microbes on the skin and guts of children who regularly played in green spaces had increased in diversity - a feature which is tied to an overall healthier immune system.

Their results largely matched the second group of kids at daycares who had outings for daily nature time.

Among kids who got outside, playing in the dirt, the grass and among the trees, an increase in a microbe called gammaproteobacteria appeared to boost the skin's immune defence, as well as increase helpful immune secretions in the blood and reduce the content of interleukin-17A, which is connected to immune-transmitted diseases.

"This supports the assumption that contact with nature prevents disorders in the immune system, such as autoimmune diseases and allergies," says Sinkkonen.

The results aren't conclusive and they will need to be verified among larger studies around the world. Still, the benefits of green spaces appear to go beyond our immune systems.

Researchshows getting outside is also good for a child's eyesight, and being in nature as a kid is linked to better mental health. Some recent studies have even shown green spaces are linked to structural changes in the brains of children.

What's driving these incredible results is not yet clear. It could be linked to changes to the immune system, or something about breathing healthy air, soaking in the sun, exercising more or having greater peace of mind.

Given the complexities of the real world, it's really hard to control for all the environmental factors that impact our health in studies.

While rural children tend to have fewer cases of asthma and allergies, the available literature on the link between green spaces and these immune disorders is inconsistent.

The current research has a small sample size, only found a correlation, and can't account for what children were doing outside daycare hours, but the positive changes seen are enough for scientists in Finland to offer some advice.

"It would be best if children could play in puddles and everyone could dig organic soil," encouragesenvironmental ecologist Aki Sinkkonen, also from the University of Helsinki.

"We could take our children out to nature five times a week to have an impact on microbes."

The changes are simple, the harms low, and the potential benefits widespread.

Bonding with nature as a kid is also good for the future of our planet's ecosystems.Studiesshow kids who spend time outdoors are more likely to want to become environmentalists as adults, and in a rapidly changing world, that's more important than ever.

Just make sure everyone's up to date on their tetanus vaccinations, Sinkkonen advises.

The study was published in the Science Advances.

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Daycares in Finland Built a 'Forest Floor', And It Changed Children's Immune Systems - ScienceAlert

Across the world, immunologists who retooled their labs to join the fight against SARS-CoV-2 are furiously trying to explain why some people get so sick while others recover unscathed. The pace is dizzying, but some clear trends have emerged.

One area of focus has been the production of antibodies powerful proteins capable of disabling and killing invading pathogens like viruses. Of great concern has been the sporadic identification of so-called autoreactive antibodies that, instead of targeting disease causing microbes, target the tissues of individuals suffering from severe cases of COVID-19.

Early studies implicated these autoantibodies in dangerous blood clots forming in patients admitted to intensive care. More recently, they have been linked to severe disease by inactivating critical components of viral immune defenses in a significant fraction of patients with severe disease.

As an immunologist within the Lowance Center for Human Immunology at Emory University, I have been investigating the immune response responsible for producing antibodies in COVID-19. Under the direction of Dr. Ignacio Sanz, our group has previously investigated immune responses contributing to autoantibody production in autoimmune disorders like lupus, and more recently in severe cases in COVID-19. However, while we were able to characterize the response in COVID-19 patients as autoimmunelike, we could not confirm the production of autoantibodies hidden within their antiviral responses.

Now we can.

In a newly released study awaiting peer-review, we describe the alarming finding that in the sickest patients with COVID-19, autoantibody production is common a finding with large potential impact on both acute patient care and infection recovery.

Autoantibodies come in flavors that are usually associated with specific disease types. Patients with lupus, for example, will often have antibodies that target their own DNA the molecules that make up the human genome.

Patients with the autoimmune disorder rheumatoid arthritis are less likely to have those antibodies, but more likely to show positive tests for rheumatoid factor antibodies that target other antibodies.

In this study, the Lowance Center group analyzed the medical charts of 52 patients in intensive care who were diagnosed with COVID-19. None of them had a history of autoimmune disorders. However, they were tested during infection for autoantibodies found in a variety of disorders.

The results are stark. More than half of the 52 patients tested positive for autoantibodies. In patients with the highest levels of c-reactive protein (a marker of inflammation) in the blood, more than two-thirds displayed evidence that their immune system was producing antibodies attacking their own tissue.

While these findings raise concerns, there are things that our data dont reveal. Although patients with severe disease clearly display autoantibody responses, the data dont tell us to what extent these autoantibodies contribute to the most severe symptoms of COVID-19.

It could be that severe viral illness routinely results in the production of autoantibodies with little consequence; this could just be the first time were seeing it. We also dont know how long the autoantibodies last. Our data suggest that they are relatively stable over a few weeks. But, we need follow-up studies to understand if they are persisting routinely beyond infection recovery.

Importantly, we believe that the autoreactive responses we have identified here are specific to the SARS-CoV-2 infection there is no reason to believe that similar results would be expected through vaccination against the virus.

However, while it is possible that these autoantibodies are benign, or even helpful in a yet-unidentified manner, its also possible that they arent. Maybe these self-targeted antibody responses do indeed contribute to disease severity, helping explain the delayed onset of severe symptoms in some patients that may correlate with antibody production.

This could be a reason that treatment with dexamethasone, an immunosuppressant often used to quell flare-ups of autoimmune disorders, might be effective in treating patients with only the most severe disease. It is also possible that these responses are not short lived, outlasting the infection and contributing to ongoing symptoms now experienced by a growing number of long-hauler COVID-19 patients.

Most concerning, it is possible that these responses could self-perpetuate in some patients, resulting in the emergence of new, permanent autoimmune disorders.

My colleagues and I sincerely hope that this is not the case rather, that the emergence of autoantibodies in these patients is a red herring, a quirk of a viral immune response in some patients that will resolve on its own. But we need to do better than hope we need to ask the right questions and figure out the answers. Fortunately, this study also gives us the tools to do that.

The tests that were run on these patients to determine their autoreactive profile are not specialized. They are available to most hospital labs across the country. Indeed, the two most common antibodies that we find in these patients, antinuclear antibodies and rheumatoid factor, are detected by common tests used by rheumatologists.

Our study shows that by testing for just these two autoantibodies, and the inflammatory marker c-reactive protein, we may be able to identify patients more likely to be experiencing potentially dangerous immune responses that might benefit from more aggressive immune modulation.

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Further, autoreactivity testing might help identify patients who might benefit from rheumotological follow-up to monitor recovery, and help us understand whether some cases of long-hauler COVID-19 might be related to persisting autoantibodies. If so, these patients might respond to the same immune-targeted therapies that have been successful in MIS-C where autoantibody production has now been documented.

Finally, by testing patients immediately following COVID-19 recovery, we can establish baselines and begin to track the possible emergence of new cases of autoimmunity following this terrible disease, and plan early rheumatological intervention if needed.

We now have the tools. Its time to start using them.

Original post:
COVID-19 causes some patients' immune systems to attack their own bodies, which may contribute to severe illness - The Conversation US

Winter is coming and a second wave of Covid-19 is already with us, so it has never been more important to strengthen your immunity.

Along with hand-washing, masks and social distancing, its the best defence we have against the coronavirus.

A vaccine is still some way off and scientists warn that without one there is no hope of achieving the herd immunity needed to end the pandemic.

Boosting your own immunity makes sense, and studies show there is lots you can do.

A balanced diet is key, but there are certain nutrients that are particularly important and scientists have been working hard to find the stars that can help in the Covid battle.

Take these simple steps to strengthen your immune system and keep you well through the tough winter ahead:

Vitamin D, which is essential for healthy bones and muscles, is often known as the sunshine vitamin giving a big clue as to why we dont get enough in winter.

While it can be found in some foods, including oily fish, red meat and eggs, our bodies grab the majority of what they need from exposure to sunlight.

One in five Brits is deficient, with the number increasing as the nights draw in.

And thats why the official advice is to consider taking a supplement containing 10mcg of vitamin D (the equivalent of 400IU) during winter.

But as well as keeping bones strong, this simple vitamin could also play a key role in the fight against Covid-19.

A super-study published earlier this year, which analysed results from 39 trials, found that taking 10mcg of the sunshine vitamin reduced the risk of respiratory infections by up to 23 per cent.

More recently, researchers at the University of Birmingham, who tested blood samples from 392 healthcare staff, found that 72per cent of those who were deficient in vitamin D had also caught Covid-19.

By contrast, only 51 per cent of those with good levels carried antibodies confirming they had been infected.

Covidence-UK, a study that uses monthly surveys of UK citizens to identify potential risk factors for Covid-19, has also identified a link.

Researchers are launching a randomised control trial to see if providing free vitamin D to people with low levels reduces their odds of catching the virus. To sign up and support the Covidence-UK search for ways to reduce the risk of Covid-19, visit qmul.ac.uk/covidence.

Some scientists believe its no accident that countries where cabbage and fermented vegetables, such as sauerkraut and kimchi, are popular, have reported lower coronavirus death rates.

Dr Jean Bousquet, Honorary Professor of Pulmonary Medicine at Montpellier University, France, has calculated that every gram of fermented vegetables eaten each day reduces the risk of dying of Covid-19 by 35 per cent.

A similar pattern was seen in countries where a lot of cabbage is consumed, and Professor Bousquet believes the benefits are down to high levels of the antioxidant sulforaphane in them.

He adds: Nutrition may play a role in the immune defence against Covid and may explain some of the differences seen in Covid across Europe. Ive now changed my diet, and it includes raw cabbage three times a week, sauerkraut once a week and pickled vegetables.

Dozens of studies have underlined the importance of zinc for strong immunity. And the World Health Organisation confirms it, saying: Zinc is thought to help decrease susceptibility to acute lower respiratory tract infections by regulating various immune functions.

Zinc can be found in shellfish, beans and lentils, but eight per cent of adults here in the UK do not get the recommended intake.

Research has shown that taking zinc within 24 hours of cold symptoms appearing cuts the duration of infections by a third.

Excitingly, studies have confirmed zinc inhibits Covid-19 and there is evidence it may boost levels of interferon, a protein that helps our immune system identify threats.

The balance of good and bad bacteria in our gut has a big impact on immunity. Dr Bousquets research has also identified a link between fermented dairy products, such as yoghurt and kefir, and a lower rate of deaths from the virus.

A recent Chinese study discovered that probiotic drinks that contained a combination of lactobacillus bacteria reduced the risk of respiratory infections by 59 per cent.

Another study, published in the European Journal of Public Health, found that children who were given daily probiotic supplements werearound a third less likely to needantibiotics.

A 150ml glass of orange juice provides more than 80 per cent of the immune-strengthening vitamin C that we need each day.

But there is growing scientific interest around another nutrient in orange juice, which could be even more important for our immunity.

Hesperidin, a micronutrient found in citrus fruit, slows the rate that viruses can replicate. Laboratory tests showed such strong antiviral activity that some scientists think it could be used to develop new drugs against dreaded influenza.

A recent study showed it locks on to key proteins on the Covid-19 virus, which could make it harder for infection to take hold.

Because the highest concentrations are found in the pith of fruit, juice will have more hesperidin in it than whole fruit. Shop-bought orange juice contains three times more hesperidin than juice squeezed at home.

Read the original post:
Strengthen your immune system against Covid with help of Vitamin D, zinc and pickles - Mirror Online

Immune boosting is a phrase that I really cant get along with, says leading nutritional therapist and healthy eating expert, Amelia Freer, when asked about the best immune-boosting advice for the coming winter months. In fact, according to Freer, weve been approaching it all wrong and when it comes to our immune system, the aim isnt to boost, but rather to balance it.

Read more: Feeling Low? Here Are 8 Ways To Ease Seasonal Affective Disorder

An overactive immune system can result in auto-immune disease, or a significant widespread inflammatory state, while an under-active or otherwise compromised immune system can increase our risk of infection neither of which is ideal. In the simplest of terms, says Freer, we want to be able to switch our immune function on appropriately, and then switch it off again when the infection risk has passed.

As for how we can do this best, Freer suggests nurturing and supporting our overall health and wellbeing. There are various nutrients that our body requires to mount and suppress an appropriate immune response, she comments. The best way to get these is through eating a balanced, nutritious, and abundant diet, so including a wide variety of different whole foods into our diets throughout the winter is a great place to start.

A variety of fresh green vegetables is key.

SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY

First up is dark-green vegetables such as kale, chard, spinach, rocket, Brussels sprouts, sprouting broccoli. They all provide a variety of beneficial phytonutrients, fibre, vitamin A, magnesium, folate and more. If there is one thing to add to our diets, it is this group of vegetables. Aim for at least one portion per day (remembering that when cooked, they tend to shrink considerably in terms of volume, making it easier to achieve this target).

Citrus fruits are a good source of vitamin C and perfect for the coldest winter months a little bit of concentrated sunshine just when we need it most. I particularly love the month or two that blood oranges are available [around December to April] I have one almost every day when I can, as the most deliciously simple dessert.

Citrus fruits such as oranges, grapefruits, and mandarins can provide, a little bit of concentrated sunshine just when we need it most, according to Freer.

voloshin311

This is a cheap and readily available oily fish and a source of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, which can help to regulate inflammation in the body. It also contains some food-based vitamin D, as well as protein, and its a great speedy choice for lunches. Top tip: look out for unsmoked, frozen mackerel fillets in the freezer section of some supermarkets. Ive found that its the best fish to cook from frozen, and contains less salt than the smoked version.

There are a huge variety of orange-fleshed pumpkins to enjoy over winter. They provide a source of vitamin A, which, as a fat-soluble vitamin, is best absorbed alongside some healthy fats. I therefore tend to slow-roast my squash and pumpkins in a little olive oil, and then enjoy as they come, blended into sauces or soups, or tossed into salads with rocket, radicchio, some toasted hazelnuts and crumbled feta.

Brazil nuts are a key source of the micronutrient selenium, which is an important mineral for optimal immune response. Just four or five Brazil nuts per week can meet our selenium requirements. It is, however, one of the few whole food nutrients that we can over-consume, so its best to mix things up and eat just a few each week alongside a variety of other nuts and seeds, too.

Protein and pulses are important for enabling the body to mount an appropriate immune response.

Adl Bkefi

I adore pulses in all shapes and sizes, and I find them a convenient source of protein I aim to have roughly a palm-sized portion of protein at each meal of the day. Protein is important for enabling the body to mount an appropriate immune response, as well as for repair and growth of our bodys tissues, and for appetite and blood-sugar regulation. I buy pulses in bulk in jars and add them to soups, make them into hummus and other dips, throw them into curries and stews, or eat them cold with some olive oil, lemon and a few chopped herbs.

Shellfish is a good source of zinc and vitamin B12, and mussels and scallops are in season over the winter months. They are a bit of a treat, but its worth making the effort to cook them once in a while. Do check that they are sustainably sourced and if youre unsure about cooking them yourself, it might be a good option to consider ordering if eating out.

Rolled oats are a great choice and can provide not only a warming and delicious porridge breakfast, but also a hefty dose of fibre, too. Soaking oats overnight can help to make the nutrients they contain more absorbable, as well as speeding up the cooking time.

Eating eggs regularly is a simple way to introduce immunity balancing benefits into your diet.

Jody Louie took this picture

Eggs are such a versatile and useful ingredient to have on hand for quick meals and speedy snacks. They are also a source of vitamin B12, a little vitamin D, vitamin A, protein and some are even fortified with omega-3 fatty acids, all of which are important for balanced immune function.

Maintaining a good level of hydration can help to keep our mucosal barriers moist, such as those in our mouth and the lining of our nose. This might sound strange, but hydration of these tissues helps to support the natural immune function that exists within them, warding off infection before it has a chance to enter the body. Plus water wont spoil your appetite for the abundance of nourishing whole foods awaiting you at your next meal.

Good hydration supports muscles and skin tissues, enabling them to better fight off infection.

Dulin

The only supplement that is recommended for everyone to consider over the winter months is vitamin D. In some countries, the sunlight is not strong enough between October and early March for our skin to make enough vitamin D to meet our requirements.

I know its been said a thousand times before, but it really is what works: wash your hands, prioritise sleep, actively respond to and manage stress, move regularly, exercise, moderate alcohol and avoid smoking. Its not original, but it is effective.

More from British Vogue:

See original here:
Immunity Boosting Is Over, Its All About Balance - British Vogue

Findings from a new study showed an association between high serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) and immunoglobulin A (IgA) levels and milder cases of Clostridium difficile (C. difficile).

Specifically, this association was modulated by the two serum antibodies targeting of both toxins A (TcdA) and B (TcdB), which play an essential role in the pathogenesis of the disease.

Investigators from Tel Aviv University and Tel Aviv Sourasky Medican Center conducted a case-control study to determine the risk factors of C. difficile infection (CDI) and evaluate the link between humoral immune response and CDI severity.

Thus, their analysis consisted of a total of 50 patients with CDI, 62% of whom were female. This represented a subset of 140 total CDI patients who were enrolled in their study.

They categorized CDI patients according to severitysevere disease was defined as leukocytosis with a white blood cell count of 15,000 cells/L, decreased blood albumin (<30 g/L) or a rise in serum creatinine level 1.5 times the premorbid level. Any patient who did not fulfill any of these requirements were considered to have a mild case.

Additionally, they analyzed 52 patient controls who were not suffering from diarrhea, where 56% were female. In total, they had enrolled 140 controls.

Both CDI patients and controls were matched by age, sex, hospitalization ward (medical or surgical), and number of hospitalization stays.

The mean age between the CDI and control groups were 79.2% years and 82.7%, respectively.

The investigators collected stool specimens from the both groups to test for C. difficile. Blood samples were also collected, and the levels of serum IgG and IgA antibodies against TcdA and TcDB were measured.

Overall, they found that patients with CDI presented with higher geometric mean titers (GMT) values of serum IgG antibody against TcdA when compared with the control group (20.1 EU vs 11.6 EU, respectively; P = .0001).

The GMT values of serum IgG against TcdB were also higher for the CDI group than for the control (18.0 EU vs 12.0 EU, respectively; P = .04).

They also noted that similar trends were observed for IgA antibodies, but the differences were not statistically significant.

In terms of associations for C. diff severity, they found that GMT values of serum IgA against TcdB was significantly higher among CDI patients with mild disease as compared with patients with severe disease (9.2 EU vs 4.9 EU, respectively; P = .023).

Similar but non-statistically significant trends were noted found for IgA and IgG levels against TcdA, as well as for IgG against TcdB.

Limiting the analysis to sera that were collected at days 714 following the diagnosis of C. difficile showed significantly higher IgG levels against TcdA and TcdB in patients with mild CDI compared to patients with severe CDI, they wrote.

Furthermore, they found significant correlations between serum IgG levels and TcdA and TcdB (Spearmans r = 0.31). Other strong correlations included IgA levels against TcdA and TcDB (r = 0.53) and IgG and IgA levels against TcdB (r = 0.43).

Although there remains great uncertainty behind the mechanism that can explain the protective effect of serum IgA and IgG antibodies against C. diff toxins, the investigators nonetheless suggested implications for the findings.

Based on the current evidence from observational studies and our new findings, the concept of presenting antigens that can prime or boost the immune system towards the production of antitoxin circulating antibodies seems a sensible approach for developing preventive and therapeutic vaccines and technologies for CDI, the team wrote.

The study, "Enhanced Humoral Immune Responses against Toxin A and B of Clostridium difficile is Associated with a Milder Disease Manifestation," was publshed online in Journal of Clinical Medicine.

Read more here:
Increased Humoral Immune Response Against C. Diff Toxins Linked to Mild Disease - MD Magazine