StemCell Therapy

Some people are claiming that wearing a mask weakens the immune system. This claim is false.

As several U.S. states try to enforce the wearing of face-coverings in an attempt to stop the spread of the coronavirus, some people are desperately grasping for reasons why they should not have to wear one. I debunked a recent one claiming masks could give you carbon dioxide poisoning here, but another one doing the rounds via social media on memes, tweets and Facebook posts is a claim that wearing a mask will lower the immune system.

One argument against wearing masks based on this hypothesis, appears to be that they will stop microbes from coming in to the body and challenging the immune system, resulting in it getting lazy and reducing the chance of it being able to respond to infections. This firstly assumes that mask-wearing stops all microbes from entering the body, it does not, far from it.

Lets start with face coverings and what they likely do or do not do. Face coverings or fabric masks worn by the vast majority of people, largely will not stop that person from breathing in infectious particles. And this is not the reason why mask wearing has been recommended in many places. The CDC recommends that people wear home-made, non medical masks to limit the amount of droplets that are being released from noses and mouths into the surrounding air. The theory is that the droplets could contain SARS-CoV2, the virus that causes Covid-19, even if people are not sick and that limiting the spread of these droplets will reduce the chance of transmitting them to others.

The hope is that the fabric of the mask will likely absorb some of the exhaled droplets and stop them from being in the air, ready to be inhaled by other people. The same may be partly true for breathing in the droplets of others, with the mask potentially catching some of these droplets before they are breathed in by the wearer. But the extent to which this happens depends on a number of variables, for example what the mask is made of and how tightly it fits around the mouth and nose. What we can be more sure of is that those wearing these facial coverings are likely helping to protect others, but not necessarily themselves.

An exception to this is N95 masks which if fitted and worn correctly to create a complete seal around the nose and mouth, should filter out virus-containing particles. Healthcare workers dealing with Covid-19 patients often wear these, but only after being appropriately fit-tested (see video below for how this works) to ensure they work. They are often incredibly uncomfortable for prolonged use and arent recommended for members of the public.

The masks weaken the immune system theory also assumes that there is no other way that microbes can enter the body other than by inhaling them. Well, unless you neither eat or drink, which will certainly eventually kill you, Im afraid thats not the case. Most food, for example, unless made under exceptionally clean conditions or sterilized, contains some microbes. An apple, for example can contain up to 100 million bacteria, most of them being inside the fruit. The same is true for both tap water and bottled water, the latter which can have even more bacteria in it. Many people do also not religiously wash their hands before eating, transferring a ton of microbes from their environment, directly into their bodies. A ten second kiss with your significant other will also transfer 80 million bacteria from one mouth to another.

It is also a little confusing how many people who believe their masks are so good that they will stop all microbes from entering the body and affect the immune system also argue that masks wont protect them from SARS-CoV2. These two things are contradictory and not resolvable with each other.

We already live with billions of microbes, all over the outside of your body and much of our insides too. Many of these microbes are actually vital for good health and microbiome research is a hot topic of investigation right now, particularly the gut microbiome, with scientists investigating its role in numerous diseases from depression, to multiple sclerosis and colorectal cancer. Many of these normal microbes are beneficial to health, but not all and it would appear that how all of these microbial species interact and are balanced with each other is key to understanding the microbiome, as is how the immune system interacts with them.

Not only do we live comfortably with microbes insides of us and on us, our immune systems get primed all throughout our lives and start developing even before birth. Upon birth, babies start to encounter microbes from the outside world, or even from the vaginal canal, with their immune systems starting to be challenged and this process continues throughout life, with individuals developing a complex range of immune cells and proteins, ready to respond to many different types of pathogenic microbes including viruses, bacteria and fungi. For many people, this process continues uninterrupted throughout life, but for some the immune system takes a hit for very good reason.

Children with leukemia (of which I was one aged 7), for example, get intensive chemotherapy with a cocktail of drugs to attempt to completely wipe out any cancerous cells in their blood and bone marrow. Unfortunately, this process does not discriminate between healthy immune cells and cancerous blood cells, therefore children with leukemia do experience suppression of their immune systems and have a severely reduced ability to fight off some infections. For certain periods of time, healthcare staff and family members need to be exceptionally careful to not transmit any infections to children on treatment, either via contact, exposure to pathogens outside of the house or hospital or via food.

But, the immune systems of these children quickly recover after treatment and exposure to pathogens again. I now have a perfectly healthy immune system, even after it was practically obliterated to get rid of my cancer over 20 years ago. So, the concept that wearing a non-sealing mask for small amounts of time whilst grabbing coffee or running errands, is going to affect your immune system in any notable way, is completely bunk to the point of being a little ridiculous and is categorically untrue.

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Wearing A Mask To Protect Against Covid-19 Coronavirus Will Not Weaken Your Immune System - Forbes

One of the big (and so far unanswered) questions about the coronavirus epidemic is what kind of immunity people have after becoming infected. This is important for the idea of re-infection (is it even possible?) and of course for vaccine development. Were getting more and more information in this area, though, and this new paper is a good example.A team from the La Jolla Institute for Immunology, UNC, UCSD, and Mt. Sinai (NY) reports details about the T cells of people who have recovered from the virus. To get into this, a quick explainer seems appropriate, so the next bit will be on the background of T cells and adaptive immunity then well get into these latest results.

So everyones heard of the broad category of white blood cells. One group of those are thelymphocytes (literally lymph cells, where theyre most easily found), and the lymphocytes includeT cells, B cells, and NK cells. Youre looking at three big branches of the immune system right there. The NK (natural killer) cells are part of the innate immunity, the nonspecific kind, and theyre in the cell-mediated cytotoxic wing of that. The other side of the immune system is adaptive immunity. The B cells feature in my antibody background posts, because as part of the adaptive system theyre the ones that produce more of some specific antibody once one of the zillions of them present in the body turns out to fit onto a new antigen. The T cells are in the adaptive side as well, but theyre in the cell-mediated part of that army.

T cells come from the thymus (thus the T), so if youve been wondering what your thymus has done for you lately, thats one good answer. They all have a particular surface protein, the T cell receptor. Similar to the way that the immune system generates a huge number of antibodies by shuffling and mixing protein expression, there are a huge number of different T cell receptors waiting to recognize what antigens may come along. The precursors of T cells come from the bone marrow and migrate to the thymus, where they branch out into different lines (and that branching out continues even once they leave the thymus and begin circulating in the lymph and in the blood).

The most direct of those are the cytotoxic T cells, also known as CD8+ T cells and by several other names. CD8 is another particular cell-surface protein that distinguishes this type. These cells arent going after viral particles; theyre going after the bodys own virus-infected cells and killing them off before they can break open and spread more viral particles. Theyll kill off bacterial cells in the same way. These are also the ones that the CAR-T therapies are trying to mobilize so that theyll recognize cancer cells and do the same thing to them. How do they accomplish the deed? Theyre thorough; there are several deadly mechanisms that kick in. One general one is to secrete cytokines, especially TNF-alpha and interferon-gamma, that alert other cellular systems to the fact that theyve detected targets to attack. (The monoclonal antibody drugs for arthritis are actually aimed to shut down that TNF-alpha pathway, because in RA the T cells are very inappropriately attacking the bodys own joint tissue). A second CD8+ action is to release cytotoxic granules. These are payloads of destruction aimed at the target cell once the T cell is closely connected to it (the immune synapse). You need that proximity because cytotoxic granules are bad news they contain proteins that open up pores in the target cell, and blunderbuss serine protease enzymes that slide in through them, whereupon they start vigorously cleaving intracellular proteins and causing general chaos (and eventually cell death). And the third killing mode is via another cell-surface protein the CD8+ cells have called FasL it binds to a common protein on the target cells called Fas, and that sets off a signaling cascade inside the target cells that also leads to cell death. (Interestingly, the CD8+ cells use this system after an infection has subsided to kill each other off and get their levels back down to normal!)

And then theres another crowd, the CD4+ T cells, also known as T-helper cells and by other names. They work with another class of immune cells, the antigen-presenting cells, which go around taking in all sorts of foreign proteins and presenting them on their cell surfaces. A CD4+ cell, when it encounters one of those, goes through a two-stage activation process kicks in (the second stage is sort of a verification check to make sure that its really a foreign antigen and not something already present in the body). If thats successful, they start to proliferate. And youre going to hate me for saying this, but thats where things get complicated. Immunology! The helper T cells have a list of immune functions as long as your leg, interacting with many other cell types. Among other things, they help set off proliferation of the CD8+ cells just detailed, they activate B cells to start producing specific antibodies, and theyre involved with secretion of more cytokine signaling molecules than I can even stand to list here. These are in fact the cells targeted by HIV, and its the loss of such crucial players in the immune response that makes that disease so devastating.

OK, theres some background for this new paper. What its looking at in detail are the virus-specific CD8+ and CD4+ cells that have been raised up in response to the infection in recovering patients. As youve seen, both of these subtypes are adaptive; theyre recognizing particular antigens and responding to those so how robust was this response, and what coronavirus antigens set things off? You can see how important these details are depending on what happens, you could have an infection that doesnt set off enough of a response to leave behind B and T cells that will remember what happened, leaving people vulnerable to re-infection. Or you could set off too huge a response all those cytokines in the cytokine storm that you hear about? CD4+ cells are right in the middle of that, and Ive already mentioned the TNF-alpha problems that are a sign of misaligned CD8+ response. The current coronavirus is pretty good at evading the innate immune system, unfortunately, so the adaptive immune system is under more pressure to deliver. And one reason (among many) that the disease is more severe in elderly patients is that the number of those antigen-presenting cells decline with age, so one of the key early steps of that response gets muted. That can lead to a too-late too-heavy T cell response when things finally do get going, which is your cytokine storm, etc. In between the extremes is what you want: a robust response that clears the virus, remembers what happened for later, and doesnt go on to attack the bodys own tissues in the process.

Comparing infected patients with those who have not been exposed to the coronavirus, this team went through the list of 25 viral proteins that it produces. In the CD4+ cells, the Spike protein, the M protein, and the N protein stood out: 100% of the exposed patients had CD4+ cells that responded to all three of these. There were also significant CD4+ responses to other viral proteins: nsp3, nsp4, ORF3s, ORF7a, nsp12 and ORF8. The conclusion is that a vaccine that uses Spike protein epitopes should be sufficient for a good immune response, but that there are other possibilities as well specifically, adding in M and N protein epitopes might do an even more thorough job of making a vaccine mimic a real coronavirus infection to train the immune system.

As for the CD8+ cells, the situation looked a bit different. The M protein and the Spike protein were both strong, with the N protein and two others (nsp6 and ORF3a) behind it. Those last three, though, were still about 50% of the response, when put together, so there was no one single dominant protein response. So if youre looking for a good CD8+ response, adding in epitopes from one or more of those other proteins to the Spike epitope looks like a good plan otherwise the response might be a bit narrow.

And heres something to think about: in the unexposed patients, 40 to 60% had CD4+ cells that already respond to the new coronavirus. This doesnt mean that people have already been exposed to it per se, of course immune crossreactivity is very much a thing, and it would appear that many people have already raised a response to other antigens that could be partially protective against this new virus. What antigens those are, how protective this response is, and whether it helps to account for the different severity of the disease in various patients (and populations) are important questions that a lot of effort will be spent answering. As the paper notes, such cross-reactivity seems to have been a big factor in making the H1N1 flu epidemic less severe than had been initially feared the population already had more of an immunological head start than thought.

So overall, this paper makes the prospects for a vaccine look good: there is indeed a robust response by the adaptive immune system, to several coronavirus proteins. And vaccine developers will want to think about adding in some of the other antigens mentioned in this paper, in addition to the Spike antigens that have been the focus thus far. It seems fair to say, though, that the first wave of vaccines will likely be Spike-o-centric, and later vaccines might have these other antigens included in the mix. But it also seems that Spike-protein-targeted vaccines should be pretty effective, so thats good. The other good news is that this team looked for the signs of an antibody-dependent-enhancement response, which would be bad news, and did not find evidence of it in the recovering patients (I didnt go into these details, but wanted to mention that finding, which is quite reassuring).And it also looks like the prospects for (reasonably) lasting immunity after infection (or after vaccination) are good. This, from what I can see, is just the sort of response that youd want to see for that to be the case. Clinical data will be the real decider on that, but theres no reason so far to think that a person wont have such immunity if they fit this profile.

Onward from here, then there will be more studies like this coming, but this is a good, solid look into the human immunology of this outbreak. And so far, so good.

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Good News on the Human Immune Response to the Coronavirus - Science Magazine

For the past two years the founding team of Immunai had been working stealthily to develop a new technology to map the immune system of any patient.

Founded by Noam Solomon, a Harvard and MIT-educated postdoctoral researcher, and former Palantir engineer, Luis Voloch, Immunai was born from the two mens interest in computational biology and systems engineering. When the two were introduced to Ansuman Satpathy, a professor of cancer immunology at Stanford University, and Danny Wells, who works as a data scientist at the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, the path forward for the company became clear.

Together we said we bring the understanding of all the technology and machine learning that needs to be brought into the work and Ansu and Danny bring the single-cell biology, said Solomon.

Now as the company unveils itself and the $20 million in financing it has received from investors including Viola Ventures and TLV Partners, its going to be making a hiring push and expanding its already robust research and development activities.

Immunai already boasts clinical partnerships with over ten medical centers and commercial partnerships with several biopharma companies, according to the company. And the team has already published peer-reviewed work on the origin of tumor-fighting T cells following PD-1 blockade, Immunai said.

We are implementing a complicated engineering pipeline. We wanted to scale to hundreds of patients and thousands of samples, said Wells. Right now, in the world of cancer therapy, there are new drugs coming on the market that are called checkpoint inhibitors. [Were] trying to understand how these molecules are working and find new combinations and new targets. We need to see the immune system in full granularity.

Thats what Immunais combination of hardware and software allows researchers to do, said Wells. Its a vertically integrated platform for single cell profiling, he said. We go even further to figure out what the biology is there and figure that out in a new combination design for the trial.

Cell therapies and cancer immunotherapies are changing the practice of medicine and offering new treatments for conditions, but given how complex the immune system is, the developers of those therapies have few insights into how their treatments will affect the immune system. Given the diversity of individual patients, variations in products can significantly change the way a patient will respond to the treatment, the company said.

Photo: Andrew Brookes/Getty Images

Immunai has the potential to change the way these treatments are developed by using single-cell technologies to profile cells by generating over a terabyte of data from an individual blood sample. The companys proprietary database and machine learnings tools map incoming data to different cell types and create profiles of immune responses based on differentiated elements. Finally, the database of immune profiles supports the discovery of biomarkers that can then be monitored for potential changes.

Our mission is to map the immune system with neural networks and transfer learning techniques informed by deep immunology knowledge, said Voloch, in a statement. We developed the tools and know-how to help every immuno-oncology and cell therapy researcher excel at their job. This helps increase the speed in which drugs are developed and brought to market by elucidating their mechanisms of action and resistance.

Pharmaceutical companies are already aware of the transformational potential of the technology, according to Solomon. The company is already in the process of finalizing a seven-figure contract from a Fortune 100 company, according to Solomon.

One of the companys earliest research coups was using research to show the way that immune systems function when anti-PD1 molecules are introduced. Typically the presence of PD-1 means that T cell production is being suppressed. What the research from Immunai revealed was that the response wasnt happening with T cells within the tumor. There were new T cells that were migrating to the tumor to fight it off, according to Wells.

This whole approach that we have around looking at all of these indications we believe that the right way and most powerful way to study these diseases is to look at the immune system from the top down, said Voloch, in an interview. Looking at all of these different scenarios. From the top, you see these patterns than wouldnt be available otherwise.

Link:
Immunai wants to map the entire immune system and raised $20 million in seed funding to do it - TechCrunch

As coronavirus cases continue to spread, doctors are learning more about COVID-19 and its symptoms.

So far, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention hasofficially listed nine symptoms of the illness caused by the new coronavirus: cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fever, chills, repeated shaking with chills, muscle pain, sore throat and new loss of taste or smell.

The CDC says these symptoms may appear two to 14 days after exposure to the virus.

However, the unofficial list of symptoms continues to grow. They vary from patient to patient and can range from an acute skin rashto a severe inflammatory reaction. Some doctors have reported gastrointestinal issuessuch as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.

How a respiratory virus can trigger all these symptoms?

When a virus is introduced to the body, its immune system kicks into high gear. Each body reacts differently to the virus, which leads to arange of symptoms.

A response from the body of any form is a sign that our body is trying to fight something, said Dr. Humberto Choi, pulmonary and critical care specialist at the Cleveland Clinic. Not everyone has the same symptoms because everyone will responddifferent ways even to the same infection."

Antibodies attach to the virus to prevent them from attaching to a protein on the host cell and infecting it. Meanwhile, specialized white blood cells, called macrophages, gobble up free-floating virus asthe body's first line of defense, according to Dr. Raphael Viscidi, an infectious disease specialist at Johns Hopkins Medicine.

"But they don't have anything to do with antibodies," he said. "Antibodies are produced by another class of white blood cells as part of the adaptive immune system."

Macrophages also are responsible for releasing signals, called cytokines, that activateother immune cells to combat the virusand initiate inflammation.

Cytokines are chemicals in our body that are responsible for our inflammatory and immune response, said Choi. They transmit signals to different places of the body for different parts to be activated.

Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is an inflammatory cytokine, one of the many known tocreate muscle aches and pains. Dr. Mitchell Grayson, professor and chief of Division of Allergy and Immunology at Nationwide Children Hospital, said these aches and pains actas an alarm bell to signal the body is going through this process.

Inflammation caused by the cytokines and immune cells can causedifferent reactions in the body.

This can range from morbilliform rashes or hives. Dr. Lindy Fox, professor of dermatology at the University of California-San Francisco, says morbilliform are pink bumps that can be about 2 to 5millimeters. They can last from one week to 14 days.

On the other hand, its unclear how long hives last, as lesions tend to come and go and show up in different places of the body. According to Fox, hives are raised pink welts that can be round or oddly shaped. They can be big or small and are usually very itchy.

Another perplexing reaction associated with the coronavirus is known as COVID toes. The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) has compiled a registry of skin manifestations associated with COVID-19. About half of the more than 600 total cases on the dermatological registry are COVID toes.

Dr. Esther Freeman, director of Massachusetts General Hospital Global Health Dermatology and member of the AAD task force on COVID-19, said COVID toes are pinkish-reddish pernio-like lesions that can turn blueish-purple over time.

She said the reaction shouldn't be confused with a different medical condition that occurs in critically sick patients called purpura fulminans.

COVID toes occur when immune cells called lymphocytes appear in the second layer of theskin, called the dermis, inflaming the area and causing discoloration. Sometimes the inflammation candamage the small blood vessels in the dermis, which is why some doctors confuse the condition with blood clotting, Fox said.

Freemansays its not clear why these immune cells target that area of the body.

As the AAD collected more examples of COVID toes, experts realized theyre more likely to appear after the infection process. While some patients with COVID toes test positive in theirpolymerase chain reaction(PCR) test andstill shed the virus, most are testing negative and instead test positive for antibodies.

Its important not to induce panic if you were to develop these lesions on your toes, Freemansaid. Most of our patients seem to be doing well.

Another post-viral reaction from the coronavirus is the Kawasaki-like inflammatory disease that has affected children across the country.

Dr. Sunil Sood, a pediatric infectious disease physician at Northwell Healths Southside Hospital and Cohen Childrens Medical Center, estimates his patients may have had the coronavirus, even unknowingly, four weeks before developing the mystery inflammatory condition.

"The immune system can overreact in a delayed timeline many weeks later," Sood said. "We know this from other infectious diseases."

Symptoms of the Kawasaki-like disease including abdominal pain, confusion, diarrhea, red eyes, rash, swollen hands and feet, difficulty breathing and fainting. Sometimes the abdominal pain can be so severe it mimics appendicitis.

One of the newer coronavirus symptoms added to the CDCs list is a loss of taste or smell. Anosmia is the loss of smell; dysgeusia is an altered sense of taste.

Experts say damage to nerves in the nasal cavity is believed to cause the loss of smell.

The same way we have nerve endings that stimulate someone to cough, we have those nerve endings in our nose that areresponsible for our sense of smell, Viscidi said. It could be a sign that the nerve endings are inflamed.

When air and scent molecules enter the nose, they move past the olfactory (smell) receptors that relay a signal to the olfactory bulb located in the forebrain. The olfactory bulb then processes these smells.

Smell receptors are located in two narrow passageways called the olfactory clefts, according to a study published in the journal Chemical Senses. If the olfactory clefts are inflamed from immune cells attacking the virus, smell receptors are unable to detect scent molecules.

Experts say this odd symptom usually appears in patients under the age of 40. Since a loss of taste or smell indicates the virus is in the upper respiratory tract, its most commonly a marker for mild COVID-19 and isnt associated with a severe development.

How coronavirus COVID-19 attacks the body

How does coronavirus enter the body, and why does it become fatal for some compared to just a cough or fever for others?

Just the FAQs, USA TODAY

New York City doctors say the coronavirus is triggering a surge in strokes in younger patients, causing alarm among medical experts.

Over a two-week period, Mount Sinai doctors reported five patients who suffered large vessel strokes in patients under the age of 50, according to a letter they published inthe New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM).

All five patients tested positive for COVID-19 but had mild to no symptoms.

That creates a big alarm, said Dr. J Mocco, director of the Cerebrovascular Center at Mount Sinai and one of the letters authors. Our spider sense goes up to say that theres something not right here.

Mocco said hes heard from colleagues in heart, lungs and kidney medicine who have also seen complications in coronavirus patients caused by blood clots.

So how can the coronavirus sometimes cause these blood clots?

Virus that leaks into the blood binds to endothelial cells located in the inside lining of the blood vessel. Both endothelial cells in the blood vessel and epithelial cells in the respiratory tract have the same protein receptor that binds with the virus.

Once the virus attaches to the protein receptor located on the outside of the endothelial cell, the virus penetrates it and multiplies inside. Damage to these cells triggers a response that promotes blood clotting.

If clots form in larger blood vessels and increase in size over time, they can be dislodged and travel to other places in the body, said Viscidi. Clots in the veins go to the lung and can cause a pulmonary embolism, while clots in arteries can go to the brain and cause a stroke.

A headache is not a common symptom of the coronavirus but it is possible for headaches to occur with a fever.

Fevers occur when cytokines released by macrophages, specifically a cytokine called Interleukin-1 (IL1), travel through the body to the hypothalamus in the brain. The cytokines tell the hypothalamus to increase the bodys temperature creating a fever, according to Viscidi, which helps slow down the virus.

Experts say the increase in temperature can sometimes dilate the blood vessels in the brain causing a headache. However, this is uncommon.

When the fever starts to subside, the body feels cooler and can create a chill. The bodys natural response to this chill is shaking.

Chills and shaking are less common and generally occur in an extreme form of fever, Viscidi said. Temperatures going up to 103 or 104 you can have a fever without chills but you cant have chills without a fever.

Follow Adrianna Rodriguez on Twitter: @AdriannaUSAT.

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How does the coronavirus cause COVID toes or loss of smell? Here's how the immune system reacts. - USA TODAY

COVID-19 has spread through global populations like a wild fire, consuming whole communities.

However, looking back on the first hundred days of coronavirus transmission in Australia, we have been spared much of this.

Australian government directives enforcing physical distancing and good community compliance have contained the spread of the virus and flattened the curve which has saved many lives.

As well as slowing the spread of coronavirus, these restrictions have also inadvertently slowed the spread of another highly contagious and deadly virus the seasonal flu. This is a very good thing.

Influenza is a serious viral disease that can kill many people in a severe season.

Read more

In Australia, the 2019 season saw 312,978 lab-confirmed cases, 3,915 hospitalisations, with 6.3 per cent admitted to Intensive Care Units (ICUs) and 902 deaths.

During flu infection and even after recovery, patients are at high risk of contracting secondary infections and developing fatal pneumonia, but until recently we did not know why.

This is why patients are generally administered antibiotics. But this can encourage multi-resistant strains of bacteria in ICU.

Professor Jose A. Villadangos and his team at Bio21 Institute and the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity have been trying to delve deeper, to uncover the underlying cause of this susceptibility to secondary infection after recovery from the primary infection.

They cast their eyes to the immune system.

Working with Dr Antoine Roquilly, a clinician scientist at the University Nantes in France and his group, the team observed what occurs after recovery from severe trauma, flu infection, sepsis (a life-threatening complication of an infection) and a period of time spent in the ICU.

Their new research discovered that recovery from this initial trauma or severe infection leaves an immunological scar that reduces the immune systems capacity to launch protective responses against subsequent infections.

This paralysis can last up to six months, making patients more susceptible to secondary infections like pneumonia.

Read more

We humans have not evolved to cope with the level of inflammatory assault that would send a person to ICU. Modern medicine is the only reason we survive.

But this comes at a cost: the same processes that are normally at work to stop inflammation after the resolution of infection, can overshoot in ICU survivors, leaving them immunosuppressed.

Building on the teams previous work, they found that macrophages (a type of white blood cell of the immune system) in the lungs also show similar immunosuppression after a severe infection or trauma.

Usually macrophages are very good at scavenging and swallowing bacteria, viral particles and debris floating around and in between cells, in a process called phagocytosis.

They belong to cells that form the first line of defence of the immune system our innate immune system. They send out alarm signals to activate the immune response and help keep infection at bay before the specific, or adaptive immune system kicks in.

But, after a severe lung infection, the teams research has shown that macrophages are impaired in their ability to phagocytose bacteria.

The new research has also identified the molecular switch that results in macrophages being reprogrammed in this way. The program is initiated when the switch is flicked on early in the infection by a signal regulatory protein called Sirp-alpha.

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This establishes an immunosuppressed environment in the lung tissue, affecting all of the macrophages residing in the lungs and has long-lasting effects up to six months after the initial infection.

It means that once a person recovers from the flu, sepsis or other trauma and leaves ICU, the weeks following their recovery are still an extremely vulnerable time, because their macrophages are unable to effectively respond to bacterial infection.

Having identified this switch, the team wanted to see whether they could turn it off. The study found that when Sirp-alpha are blocked with antibodies, macrophages phagocytic ability to gobble up bacteria was restored.

This changes our thinking about how best to manage patients in ICU.

Rather than treating the patient with antibiotics, that have not been very effective and lead to antibiotic resistant strains emerging, we could be treating the immune system directly by preventing the Sirp-alpha switch for immunosuppression from being flicked.

Just a few weeks ago, the world held its breath with the news that the British Prime Minister tested positive to COVID-19 and had been admitted to ICU.

This was a textbook case for the trajectory of the disease when it can go badly for people: after one week of relatively mild symptoms that included fever, the disease took a dramatic dip in the second week, requiring hospitalisation and intensive care.

Read more

Fortunately, Boris Johnson recovered, leaving the ICU without having to be ventilated. He was very lucky.

But for many people around the world, particularly in high risk groups like the elderly, this stage of their disease is fatal.

Why? What is happening here?

Clinical reports are describing a case where, as a result of the viral infection, the immune system has gone into overdrive; a so-called cytokine storm.

When a virus infects the body, the immune systems cells strike the alarm. This alarm takes the form of chemical messengers called cytokines released by the front-line immune cells, the dendritic cells and macrophages.

Cytokines or chemokines are responsible for a range of symptoms of inflammation, that we associate with being sick: raised body temperature, dilating blood vessels and pain.

Inflammation has been classically described in the following terms: dolor (pain), calor (heat), tumor (swelling) and rubor (redness), like a fire burning through the body, drawing attention to the underlying infection.

As a result, like the emergency services to a crash site, immune cells rush to the site of infection. Its dangerous for the invader, but also potentially dangerous for the body, if this powerful army is not kept in check.

Read more

In the case of a cytokine storm, rather than retreating when the threat has been eliminated, the immune systems army keeps fighting. Its toxic weaponry starts to wreak havoc on its own body, destroying cells and tissues and causing organ failure.

A fine balance needs to be struck between reacting quickly and forcefully enough to defeat the infection, but not overreacting.

In COVID-19, we are seeing deaths because a persons immune system is not controlling the viral infection, it is preparing to respond even more strongly.

This represents the other end of the spectrum to the immunosuppression the team investigated. But research is only starting to understand the triggers and switches that govern the behaviour of the front-line cells of the innate immune system, the dendritic cells and macrophages.

And research is only just beginning to decode the cytokine messages they emit that determine the severity of disease progression for bodily trauma and severe infections like flu, sepsis and COVID-19.

Like a pendulum, these messages can swing too far in both directions: a cytokine storm is one extreme and immune suppression is the other. But both extremes are deadly.

The teams research, although it was focussed on flu and sepsis, can provide valuable clues to what may be occurring during a severe case of COVID-19 and recovery afterwards.

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Understanding the response of our immune systems powerful army - Pursuit

A biotechnology firm based in Singapore has joined in the global effort to find a vaccine against Covid-19.

Immunoscape has tied up with partners here and overseas on two studies to find out how patients' immune systems react to the coronavirus which causes Covid-19.

The goal of the projects, which started earlier this month, is to study the behaviour of Covid-19-specific immune cells, which recognise and kill cells infected by the virus.

The studies will involve using immune profiling technology developed by Immunoscape that can screen a few hundred antigens - molecules from the coronavirus that stimulate an immune response.

The research will take a few months and will also delve deeper into how T-cells, which fight and kill viruses, are activated.

Dr Alessandra Nardin, Immunoscape's chief operating officer, said: "We want to know the functions and properties of T-cells against the coronavirus - their numbers, potency, how long they persist. The knowledge of what makes a good immune response is important for vaccine development."

Vaccine development involves identifying and developing a new antigen into a final product that provides immunity.

Immunoscape's first project is with infectious disease immunologists, Dr Antonio Bertoletti from Duke-NUS Medical School and Dr Carlo Ferrari from the University Hospital of Parma in Italy.

The aim is to study Covid-specific T-cells in about 50 patients who have recovered from the disease, using Immunoscape's techniques. Most of the samples are from Italy and some are sourced locally.

Dr Nardin said the study will also compare the T-cell response in patients who had mild and severe Covid symptoms, and if there were differences.

"This can provide hints about the immune response that is needed to control the disease early," she said.

Scientists around the world are rushing to produce a Covid-19 vaccine, and there could eventually be several different ones on the market. Researchers in Singapore, working with overseas players, are part of this effort.

The second project, with infectious disease expert Patrick Reeves, from the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, in the United States, aims to understand how the immune system itself contributes to the progression of Covid-19 to a more severe stage.

The target is to collect between 30 and 50 samples from patients with acute infections in Boston, and send over Immunoscape's reagents - prepacked solutions used for testing - to the US for tests to be carried out in a laboratory there.

The study hopes to track these patients over time, from the point of diagnosis to a couple of weeks later, and after they recover.

The purpose is to see if there is any abnormal activation of immune cells that triggers the disease progression, said Dr Nardin.

"It would be important to see if there are early signs of the abnormal activation, so that we can predict which patients might get a severe disease," she said.

Reports have shown that some patients start with mild symptoms for a while before their condition worsens.

Dr Yannick Simoni, associate director and head of Immunoscape's technology development, said: "It's called a cytokine storm - the idea is that your immune system reacts inappropriately to the virus and becomes overactivated, causing inflammation."

This happens with flu too, he said, adding that a vaccine is critical for Covid-19, because it will train the immune system to quickly respond to the infection and avoid the side effects, just like flu vaccines.

Immunoscape's chief executive Ng Choon Peng said three-quarters of its 20 staff here have taken on Covid-19 work since last month, with seven of its scientists and research officers working on it in its lab in Biopolis.

"Whatever new information we gather about underlying immune response will help vaccine developers, and hopefully speed up the process," said Mr Ng.

The company is in talks with four to five such developers in the US, Europe and Australia. "We're also targeting to publish some of the data so the global community will benefit," said Mr Ng.

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Biotech company studying immune response to Covid-19, Health News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

It wont be long before the flu and the common cold meet to parlay with COVID-19. While health appears to be the main topic of conversation, it is easy to let the concerns about our countrys recovery overshadow the simple things we can do to boost our own immune systems.

Two experts share ways to put your own health first without a whole lot of effort.

Nutrient shortfalls which affect a persons health can be found with Vitamin D, magnesium, omega-3 and L-theanine, says food and nutrition expert Nancy Graves, Ed.D., RDN, LD, associate professor at the University of Houston Conrad N. Hilton College of Hotel and Restaurant Management.

Vitamin D is important to regulate immunity, control inflammation, supports muscle health, promotes bone health, regulates insulin secretion and is important for lung health, she says.

There are easy ways to add more of this to your diet, Graves says. Research indicates that adults should consume 1,500 to 2,000 IU, or international units, each day.

Some examples of nutrient-rich foods:

The most important thing is to eat a well-balanced diet to provide your immune system with the proper tools (nutrients) for an optimum, properly regulated response, says Dr. Christopher Jolly, associate professor of Nutritional Sciences at the University of Texas at Austin.

Dr. Jolly adds that fortified cereals are another good source of vitamin D. And nut lovers, keep eating them.

Nuts (almonds, peanuts, cashews) and meats in general are good for zinc, and dairy products are fortified in vitamin D, explains Dr. Jolly.

To regulate the nervous system, build bone and teeth, drive metabolism, Graves says you need magnesium. It regulates the heartbeat and is being studied for the impact or brain health.

Graves offers some examples of magnesium sources:

Also, omega-3 fatty acids promote brain health, eye health, heart health, and help maintain healthy blood pressure. Graves says there are two specific omega-3 fatty acids, EPA, Eicosapentaenoic Acid, and DHA, Docoshexaenoic Acid, which can be found on product labels.

Being aware of your water intake has health advantages.

Hydration is always important with water being the number one source. Sixty percent of the human body is water, so a 150-pound individual carries 90 pounds of water, he said. Hydration is important because every function of the body happens in an aqueous (water) environment. In fact, water is considered one of the essential nutrients (most people do not realize this).

The pandemic is a reminder that we should all strive to maintain optimum health through proper nutrition and mental health in order for us to have the best chance to successfully deal with whatever life may bring our way regardless of age, says Dr. Jolly.

Graves also suggests protein to fight illness.

The body uses protein to make antibodies. Antibodies form in response to the presence of antigens which are foreign proteins or other large molecules that invade the body, Graves says.

The foreign protein may be part of a bacterium, a virus or a toxin, or it may be something present in food that causes a reaction, which is called an allergy. The body, after recognizing that it has been invaded, manufactures antibodies that deactivate the foreign substance. Without sufficient protein to make antibodies, the body cannot maintain its resistance to disease, Graves says.

Each antibody is uniquely designed to destroy a specific foreign substance. The body then develops immunity to the specific virus strain, Graves explains.

A healthy diet is better than relying heavily on supplements, Dr. Jolly says.

Another important point is that many people say, I can get these things through supplements. However, foods contain potentially many as yet unidentified bioactive compounds with health benefits. So if you dont get your proper nutrition through diet, you are missing out.

Throughout your day, keep fruit and veggies in mind. They are antioxidant-rich foods that make a difference toward immune system health.

Two servings of fruit and three servings of vegetables, Graves says. One being deep orange and one being dark green; with three servings of whole grains; reduce solid or saturated fat; reduce sodium to less than 2,000 mg; calcium can be included through fortified dairy or plant-based beverages and probiotic food. All can contribute to the overall health of individuals, Graves explains.

Omega-3 fatty acid-enriched foods include flaxseed oil, canola oil, English walnuts and cold water marine fish (Atlantic salmon, herring, sardines), Dr. Jolly says.

A healthy balanced diet contributes to ones overall wellbeing, but this is only one aspect of taking care of oneself and ones immune system.

Exercise, meditation and adequate sleep also contribute to a persons health. Sleep disorders and chronic inflammation can negatively affect the immune system. Disrupted sleep increases fatigue, and an inability to cope with stressors disrupts sleep. Graves says, There are recommendations of the length of time to sleep by age categories. Adults should sleep between 7 to 9 hours every day. Deep sleep is necessary for 1 to 2 hours each night.

Graves says L-theanine, found in tea leaves, may support the immune system and allow the body a higher quality of sleep, reduce stress, help relax the body and improve mental focus.

It is recommended for adults to consume 200 mg each day. One cup of green or black tea contributes from 25 to 60 mg.

Melatonin is not a nutrient but is important to the body, says Graves. It might be a surprise to some that light regulates melatonin production. The New York Times has a guide on how to use melatonin safely as a sleep aid and to help regulate timing sleep.

Looking to plan a menu and reduce your trips to the grocery store? Graves recommends http://www.choosemyplate.gov, which is provided by the United States Department of Agriculture. She says it is a handy resource for keeping yourself and your family healthy.

So the next time you prepare dinner, keep your immune system in mind.

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Ways to Fuel Your Immune System Not Just to Fight Off the Coronavirus - Reform Austin

May 17, 2020 5:55 PM

LaShanda McCuin

Posted: May 17, 2020 5:55 PM

CUERO, TexasBy now, chances are you know the advice on protecting yourself and others from COVID-19: Keep your distance. Wear a mask. Wash your hands and so on but heres one bit of advice to think about too, eat healthy foods.

Eating nutritiously has always been a way to stay healthy. Eating well strengthens your immune system, and a strong immune system helps protect you from illness and while no one food or diet can prevent illness or the coronavirus, eating healthy can help your body prevent, fight, and recover from infections during the COVID-19 pandemic.

What does healthy eating look like?

Of course, its best to keep your immune system healthy all the time, not just when a virus is going around. That means focusing on a well-balanced diet, filled with healthy foods like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.

According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, these nutrients can help strengthen your immune system:

Beta carotene: This can be found in plant foods like sweet potatoes, spinach, and carrots.

Probiotics: These good bacteria can be found in cultured dairy products like yogurt.

Protein: This may be especially helpful in healing and recovery. You can find this in plant and animal products, such as milk, eggs, beef, chicken, fish, nuts, beans, and seeds.

Vitamin A: This helps regulate the immune system and protect against infections. Look for it in broccoli, spinach, eggs, or milk and cereal fortified with vitamin A.

Vitamin C: Look for this in citrus fruits. It helps the immune system by increasing the amount of antibodies in your system.

Vitamin D: Find it in fatty fish and eggs, as well as drinks fortified with vitamin D.

Vitamin E: This works as an antioxidant. Antioxidants decrease inflammation. Find vitamin E in fortified cereals, sunflower seeds, vegetable oils, and peanut butter.

Zinc: This may help wounds heal. You can find it in wheat germ, beans, and tofu. But zinc is best absorbed from animal sources like beef and fish.

The best way to get the nutrients your immune system needs is to include a wide variety of healthy foods in your diet. Thats usually a better option than a supplement. Overloading on specific nutrients wont give your immune system a super boost. And taking too much of some of them can actually do more harm than good.

Take an all-around approach

Eating nutritious foods is just one way to strengthen your immune system. Other good habits include:

Getting a good amount of sleep each night.Being active every day.Maintaining a healthy weight.Coping with stress and anxiety in healthy ways, like deep breathing or exercise and, of course, a healthy diet isnt a replacement for other steps to protect yourself from COVID-19. Its still essential to:

Stay home as much as possible.Stay at least 6 feet away from others in public.Wash your hands often.Avoid touching your face with unwashed hands.Keep away from sick people.Cover your coughs and sneezes.Clean and disinfect shared surfaces daily.Wear a cloth face mask in public.To learn more ways to keep yourself and your family safe and healthy during the pandemic, click here.

(This information is from the Cuero Regional Hospital Facebook page)

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Cuero Regional Hospital provides a list of foods that will keep the immune system strong - Crossroads Today

Although COVID-19 commands the headlines today, tuberculosis (TB) remains the biggest infection killer in the world and multiple drug resistant TB, which does not respond to regular antibiotics, continues to be a major threat to global health.TB is caused by bacteria (Mycobacterium tuberculosis) that most often affect the lungs. Tuberculosis kills over 4,000 individuals daily throughout the world; while here in Ireland resistant and highly complex cases of TB continue to rise year after year, with cases numbering over 300 annually.

Now, scientists at Trinity College Dublin and St Jamess Hospital, Dublin have discovered how the iron chelator, DFX, which functions by attaching to iron, drives the immune system to deal with tuberculosis (TB).

Iron is crucial for daily human function but is also an essential element for the survival of viruses and bacteria. For some time, scientists have known that depriving infections of iron can limit bacterial burden and help improve patient outcomes.

The research team, led by Professor Joseph Keane, has shown for the first time how DFX supports lung immunity against TB by driving the activation of a key metabolic pathway called glycolysis. The process of glycolysis helps immune cells make energy to fight infection which in turn drives several signals that improve the macrophages (white blood cells) ability to address TB infection.

By helping immune cells turn on glycolysis, DFX has the potential to aid in developing more lung targeted treatment of pulmonary infection, which is the ultimate goal of this research group; by boosting the patients immune response using the iron binding agent, DFX.

Dr James Phelan, Department of Clinical Medicine, Trinity College and Senior Author of the study said:

Infectious disease experts globally agree on the important role metabolic processes play in eradicating a variety of infections; DFX helps infected immune cells to readily switch on metabolism which could help immune cells fight the infection.

Indeed, a clinical trial is underway using DFX to treat COVID-19, yet it is unclear how DFX might help the human lung fight infection; this research has the potential to greater understand this. In related experiments, the Trinity investigators demonstrate that DFX also works in a cellular model of sepsis, which broadens the appeal of this DFX strategy in fighting other infectious diseases and supports the clinical trial underway of DFX for COVID disease.ReferencePhelan et al. (2020). Desferrioxamine Supports Metabolic Function in Primary Human Macrophages Infected With Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Frontiers in Immunology. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2020.00836

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 Iron Binding Drives the Immune System To Deal With Respiratory Infections - Technology Networks

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a refocus on building and maintaining a healthy immune system. Information on the way in which fresh grapes contribute to both is now available in one place for easy reference.

The health info-sheet combines results of health research on the benefit grapes provide to brain, heart, and colon health with data from two professors at Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy showing how healthy diets that include grapes can help flatten the COVID-19 curve. In addition, two recent magazine articles summarize a number of ways grape consumption positively impacts health.

The first magazine article, from Good Housekeeping titled, 10 Health Benefits of Grapes Thatll Make You Want to Eat the Whole Bunch, highlights how grapes help regulate blood pressure, lower the risk of diabetes, and can help with weight loss or management.

The second article, Feast Upon the 100 Best Foods for Men, from Mens Health, highlights the antioxidant power of grapes to help fight disease.

In fact, grapes have over 1,600 phytonutrients that may also help maintain health in a variety of ways from promoting antioxidant activity to enhancing cell-to-cell communications which help maintain the health of cells.

The health info-sheet comes as the 2020-21 California table grape season gets underway in the next few days and runs into January.

To read the health information sheet, click here.

For more information:Jeff CardinaleCalifornia Table Grape CommissionEmail: jeffc@grapesfromcalifornia.comwww.grapesfromcalifornia.com

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Table grapes help build and maintain healthy immune system - FreshPlaza.com

The Netherlands is busy adapting in all kinds of ways in order to deal with the corona pandemic. But are our corona measures effective at all? What are the benefits of testing? And why does a vaccine take so long to develop? Biomedical chemist Willem Mulder offers answers to these questions. And he explains how his research is contributing to a solution to the pandemic.

For the past fifteen years, Mulder (43) has been conducting research into nanomaterials that can regulate how the immune system functions. His main focus is on the development of new treatment methods for cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and post-transplant rejection. Although his work can also be applied to many other diseases, including the novel coronavirus. But how can research into new treatments for combatting cancer and carrying out transplants be of any use in the current pandemic? In order to understand this, we need to explain Mulders work method.

Normally Mulder travels back and forth between New York and Eindhoven. In New York, he is Professor of Radiology and Professor of Oncological Sciences at the BioMedical Engineering and Imaging Institute at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. In Eindhoven, he works part-time as a professor of Precision Medicine at the Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e). Furthermore, he is co-founder of Trained Therapeutix Discovery, a company that develops immune therapies which are based on nanomaterials.

On both sides of the ocean, the work of Mulder and his fellow scientists focuses on guiding our immune system to fight diseases. We use nanotechnology to regulate the immune response. Immune cells are produced by stem and precursor cells in the bone marrow. We take control of this production process, so to speak. This allows us to ensure that the immune system achieves whats called a tolerant immune status when the immune system is suppressed. This is very important in organ transplants, for example, so that a patients body will not consequently reject a transplanted organ. The opposite is true for cancer. Then the immune system needs to be intolerant towards a tumor. In these situations, we actually want to trigger immunity, Mulder explains.

Mulders work is best understood when you keep these two scenarios in mind. In one case, you want a patients immune system to have a specific level of tolerance for a transplanted organ. In the other, you want to induce an aggressive immune response against tumor cells. Both scenarios can be applied to many different pathologies, including the novel coronavirus. The regulation of the immune response is crucial when dealing with SARS-CoV-2 infections. A properly functioning immune system can prevent or in case of infection swiftly eradicate the infection. On the other hand, the infection can cause COVID-19 disease in infected patients whose immune system is not functioning adequately. With potentially disastrous consequences. There are plenty of parallels with COVID-19. We see many similarities between hyperinflammation in COVID-19 patients and the immune response after transplants, Mulder continues.

Now, about our immune system. It comprises two parts. The congenital (or non-specific) part is mainly made up of phagocytes. These are cells that can, as it were, eat bacteria, viruses, and fungi. This part of the immune system is our first line of defense and is ready to fight off an invasion of our bodies. When someone has mild symptoms after becoming infected with the coronavirus, that persons natural immune system is perfectly capable of getting rid of the virus.

When the congenital part of the immune system is unable to get rid of an infection, the adaptive part of the immune system takes over the defense task. A virus is made up of a genetic code (RNA) that is packaged in tiny globules of lipids and proteins. Certain types of phagocytes referred to as antigen-presenting cells break down a virus into small molecular fragments called antigens. Cells of the adaptive immune system (lymphocytes) recognize the antigens and are thereby activated. This triggers a cascade of processes that generate a specific immunological memory where antibodies play an important role.

Consequently, those people who experience few issues after infection with SARS-CoV-2 may not be able to build up a high enough level of immunity. When the natural immune system is able to clear the infection itself, there is no strong adaptive immune response needed in order to achieve immunity.

When asked why the elderly in particular are not resistant to COVID-19, Mulder answers: Although it does happen, the amount of young people dying from this virus is statistically negligible. That may be because the immune system doesnt function as well as it should since the number of lymphocytes in the blood declines with age. This is also often the case with people with underlying conditions. For example, the immune systems of people who are overweight, diabetic, or have cardiovascular diseases tend to age much faster. Thats why we suspect that COVID-19 patients with underlying conditions are more susceptible to the disease process spiraling out of control.

Mulder says that it is especially important now to use tests as a means of gaining insight into whether herd immunity is being built up or not. In order to do this, it is essential to know how many people among the population have antibodies. Mulder: Because the only people who have been tested in The Netherlands are those who have had the disease get out of hand, you tend to get a distorted picture. Now it seems as if it is mainly the elderly who are infected. We want to know exactly how the disease progresses in people who have no noticeable symptoms. So far, our policy is based on one-sided data.

In countries where a lot of testing has been done, we see that lots of young people have been infected. From the outset of the crisis, I couldnt understand why no investment was being made into testing on a large scale. It is only then that its actually possible to gain proper insights into how immunity works when it comes to SARS-CoV-2.

Mulder is concerned about the future course of the corona crisis. He emphasizes that the pandemic has just begun. And that we will experience the consequences of the subsequent (economic) damage for a long time to come. Its now just a matter of waiting for a vaccine before we can fully get back to the normal order of the day. As well as a definitively stamp out any new infections. Mulder points out that there are viral infections such as HIV where its never been possible to produce a vaccine. However, he is hopeful that this will succeed for SARS-CoV-2 because it has now been proven that laboratory animals can be vaccinated against the virus.

Making a vaccine is a very complicated and time-consuming process. Mulder explains: A vaccine ensures that you build up immunity and produce antibodies yourself. These antibodies can also be obtained in other ways. One way to do this is to take plasma from people who have been infected and who, as a result, have developed antibodies. Or you could develop antibodies in a lab. The latter has been done by research teams at the Erasmus University in Rotterdam and Utrecht University here in The Netherlands. This type of antibody therapy can certainly provide some relief. However, it is laborious, costly, and difficult to implement on a large scale.

The development of a vaccine takes a long time because it requires a method of getting a pathogen into a person without making that person sick. The pathogen has to be recognized by the immune system in order to trigger an immune response that ultimately provides immunity. Various strategies are possible for achieving this. A vaccine can be based on weakened strains of the pathogen, e.g. by using harmless viruses, by using the genetic code of antigens or by producing the antigens themselves.

The complexity of our immune system makes it extremely difficult to predict which strategy is most likely to succeed. In any event, a considerable amount of time is needed to test the vaccines and produce them on a large scale. Normally, it can take up to 10 years to develop a successful vaccine. Hopefully, that will now happen faster. At the moment, there are about a hundred serious initiatives underway for this at major pharmaceutical companies such as Johnson & Johnson as well as at start-ups and universities, Mulder adds.

Reports have appeared in the media about the use of the malaria medication hydroxychloroquine in the treatment of COVID-19. The immune response to COVID-19 can get out of control with hyperinflammation as a result. Drugs such as hydroxychloroquine may help. Nephrologist Raphal Duivenvoorden of the Radboud University Medical Center (Radboudumc) is researching the effects of this drug on the immune system.

Willem Mulder is also participating in that study. It is a cheap drug with relatively few side effects. However, the timing of the treatment is very important because the immune systems response can worsen the disease. We expect to complete our study this month. Incidentally, there are plenty of medications that are undergoing testing at the moment. Take, for example, those immune therapies that specifically render immune-regulating molecules harmless.

Since the start of the lockdown, The Netherlands has been working hard to make the one-and-a-half-meter society part and parcel of daily life. Some have been critical of the measures introduced by the government and prefer a Swedish corona policy whereby the economy is kept going for the most part.

Mulder understands the decisions made by the Dutch government: Its new territory. We didnt know how the virus would behave or what the long-term effects would be. When you get the flu once in a while, your immune system is quite capable of maintaining a certain level of immunity against new flu strains.

We are born in a situation where both the flu and a certain degree of immunity to it already exists. In contrast, SARS-CoV-2 is completely new. Anyone can get infected. Then it is only logical that strict measures are introduced even when the mortality rate is relatively low. However, its quite difficult to compare countries and regions. Sweden is a sparsely populated country. The Netherlands is not. Population density is also the reason that there are so many infections and deaths in a huge city like New York.

Mulder goes on to add that he finds the introduction of corona measures somewhat worrying: A lockdown was necessary, but I hope it doesnt become the new normal. Governments in the West are now assuming a great deal of power. Freedoms are being taken away from young people while statistically, the problem does not rest with this group. We did what was necessary during the lockdown. I think the quid pro quo answer to this should be that this should not be abused. I hope that people are keeping a watchful eye on this.

More information about nanotechnology can be found here.

Also, check out these animations made by Willem Mulder:

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Leading scientist Willem Mulder: 'Frequent testing is crucial for predicting immune reactions' - Innovation Origins

We try every possible thing to stay fit and healthy. After all, a healthy body and sane mind is all we need to survive the challenges of this fast paced world. Right from exercising to eating healthy, we try our best to stay abreast with all fitness trends. But we often end up overlooking those little things and we binge to relieve our stress, and even when we pay heed to all this, we feel that our workout and healthy habits would save us from the adversities.

As the world battles the deadliest virus attacks of all time, this phase has been an awakening for most of us. With no accurate line of treatment or vaccination, the only way to stay safe is by building a rock solid immune system. As they say, Rome wasnt built in one day, building a strong immune system needs a lot of effort along with that parting ways with food that slowly weaken your metabolism and immunity. Heres a low down on foods that we eat almost every now and then to please our taste buds without realising how they affect our immunity in the long run.

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These foods can slowly weaken your immune system - Times of India

We've had some really nice weather days over the last week or so. Days where it would be nice to open up some windows and air out the house thanks to the cool spring breeze.

The only problem is if, like me, your seasonal allergies are conspiring against your urge to enjoy nature right now.

This past Saturday I would have loved to open up all of my windows and enjoy the late spring air, but even with the windows closed and locked, and yes even a new filter in my HVAC unit, my eyes and throat were itching like I'd just taken a face first dive into a bucket of fresh pollen.

I even broke out an inhaler that I rarely use.

A quick visit to The Weather Channel's pollen counter for Toms River shows that the grass pollen count will remain moderate through at least Wednesday.

But it's the tree pollen that's really doing a number on our allergies, with the red Very High marker on the list through at least the middle of the week.

So, when will it end?

Well, you might not want to read this AccuWeather article from this past February, which predicted a spring 2020 allergy season that will be, "brutal".

Better stock up on those tissues!

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Pollen Is Through The Roof In Ocean County Right Now - wobm.com

Youve probably heard these phrases a thousand times since the coronavirus broke out: Wash your hands. Dont touch your face. Stay home if you can. While these preventative measures are great ways to stop the spread of COVID-19, can the food we put in our bodies also prevent us from getting sick?

While there is no research stating certain foods and supplements lower your risk of catching the coronavirus, there are items you can eat or take to keep your immune system strong.

Dr. Howard Wright, who operates his own private practice, Dearborn Family Clinic, said there are nine things people can do to maintain a healthy body during the pandemic:

Get at least eight hours of sleep every night.

Get a daily dose of vitamins: Vitamin D is crucial to having a strong immune system, Wright said. In the protocols, when patients have COVID-19, many patients in the hospital get high doses of vitamin D, vitamin C, vitamin A and zinc. Those are really key.One way to get your daily intake is through vitamin tablets, but one can also eat foods rich in these nutrients, such as salmon for vitamin D, kale for vitamin C, sweet potatoes for vitamin A and beef for zinc.

Garlic: The ingredient contains a compound called allicin that can fight off infections, states the website, Healthline. According to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, garlic can also help lower blood pressure and slow down the hardening of arteries.

Citrus: According to Healthline, fruits such as oranges, grapefruit, lemons and limes are great ways of getting your vitamin C intake, as they can increase the production of white blood cells.

Broccoli: The vegetable is loaded with vitamins A, C and E, as well as fiber. According to Healthline, the best way to eat broccoli is raw, or as little cooked as possible.

Ginger: The spice is an anti-inflammatory, which can help reduce nausea and a sore throat when sick.

Spinach: The vegetable is high in vitamin C , and is filled with antioxidants and beta carotene, which increases the chance of fighting off an infection. Like broccoli, the best way to eat spinach is when its slightly cooked.

Yogurt: The healthy snack is a good source of vitamin D. However, with several types of yogurt out there, make sure to look for one that is filled with nutrients, like Greek yogurt. According to Healthline, plain yogurt is better than ones that have fruit added to them, since they are often filled with sugar. Those looking for a sweeter taste can add their own fruit to the yogurt.

Sauerkraut: Surprisingly, the condiment has many health benefits, including improving the immune system. The fermentation of the cabbage contains probiotics, which can fight off bad bacteria and toxins.

Wright said he has treated about 45 patients for COVID-19 so far, with all of them recovering.

I attribute that to early diagnosis, early treatment and the patients really working on their nutrition, he said. We use what we call an integrated approach where we use the foundation of nutrition, medications, anything we can to fight this horrible illness.

In addition to fruits, vegetables and spices, vitamins and natural supplements can also be a way to strengthen the immune system. Cathy Keoshian, the supplement manager for the Better Health stores, recommends five items to take for a healthier body:

Vitamin C: Like Dr. Wright, Keoshian said vitamin C boosts the immune system, and one should take between 1,000-2,000 mg daily. Research shows it will help reduce and shorten duration of respiratory infections, she said. Its also a great antioxidant and anti-inflammatory.

Zinc: It improves immunity and needs to be taken daily to improve health, Keoshian said. Its an anti-inflammatory, and its well known as a natural cold remedy. It cuts down mucus and bacteria, so it gives an antiviral effect. The recommended dosage for zinc is 50 mg a day, but no more than 100 mg.

Elderberry syrup: It has very powerful immune-boosting properties, Keoshian said. Its shown to reduce the duration of symptoms in colds, the flu and sinus infections.

Oregano oil: Keoshian calls the oil a wonderful germ killer, as it can help fight infections. It is antimicrobial, antiviral and antifungal, so it acts like a natural antibiotic, she said. Its used to treat respiratory symptoms, colds, bronchitis, sinus infections, allergies and parasites.

The Wellness Formula-The supplement is from brand, Source Naturals, and contains 22 herbs. It helps prevent the cold and flu, it helps reduce symptoms of all infections, like sinus, sore throat, fever, Keoshian said. It increases energy levels, its full of antioxidants and has vitamins A, C, D and the minerals zinc and selenium. It pretty much has every germ-killing, immune-boosting thing you can think of. Four to six capsules a day is recommended, or 6 capsules every three hours when sick.

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Ways to boost your immune system during a pandemic - Dearborn Press and Guide

Researchers are learning more about how to harness the immune system to find new treatment options for a deadly brain cancer that strikes young children.

Diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma, or DIPG, tumors cant be surgically removed due to their location on a critical structure of the brain called the brain stem. In addition, because of the presence of the blood-brain barrier, these tumors do not respond well to chemotherapy. Radiation is the most common treatment but its temporary, because the tumor grows back, and it isnt the ideal option for the young, developing brains of small children.

Some adult brain cancers, though, have responded to efforts to invigorate the immune system against the tumor, and a new study shows similar effects in animal models with one of the mutations that is present in human DIPG.

Immune-mediated gene therapy may lead us to a safe and effectivetherapeutic approach for DIPG in the future, says first author Flor Mendez, Ph.D.

MORE FROM MICHIGAN: Turning the Tables on Glioblastoma

The researchers treated mouse models with DIPG-like tumors in the brain stem, using an immunostimulatory gene therapy called TK/Flt3L to assess whether it would have a positive outcome on survival compared to regular care.

Together, these therapeutic genes sparked the immune system to recognize and kill the tumor cells, says Maria G. Castro, Ph.D., co-senior author.

We found anti-tumor immunity and an increase in anti-tumor specific T cells, says co-senior author Pedro Lowenstein, M.D., Ph.D. In this type of brain tumor, there are low numbers of immune cells in the tumor microenvironment, and this approach addresses that shortcoming.

Additionally the team found that the immune-mediated gene therapy was well tolerated and did not cause any adverse side effects. They say these results will pave the way for future clinical implementation of this immune-stimulatory gene therapy in DIPG patients at the University of Michigan and beyond.

The work was funded by the National Institutes of Healths National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, the ChadTough Foundation and the Leahs Happy Hearts Foundation.

Paper cited: Therapeutic efficacy of immune stimulatory thymidine kinase and fms-like tyrosine kinase 3 ligand (TK/Flt3L) gene therapy in a mouse model of high grade brainstem glioma, Clin Cancer Res. DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-19-3714

MORE FROM MICHIGAN: Tackling Tumors That Always Come Back: New Brain Cancer Research Could Improve Outcomes

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Therapy Harnesses Immune System to Slow Progression of DIPG Brain Tumors - University of Michigan Health System News

While standing in long lines at grocery stores in recent weeks, shippers may have seen the National Enquirer headline shouting, "Coronavirus Cures Finally Found!"

If that's true, why is everyone fighting over toilet paper and staying home?

The reality is that doctors say there is no known cure for COVID-19.

Dr. Carl Fichtenbaum, Infectious Disease Specialist at the University of Cincinnati, is very blunt about hopes of miracle cures.

"It is not clear there is any supplement or anything you can do that will protect you from coronavirus," he said.

The Federal Trade Commission is sending warning letters to those peddling "quack cures." Recently, the commission shutting down televangelist Jim Bakker's ads for Silver Solution Gels, which he claimed to be effective against the virus.

In addition, the New York Attorney General has also ordered Alex Jones of Infowars to stop selling "coronavirus treatments."

The FTC has also halted advertising for seven other claimed cures, but like a game of Whack-a-Mole, they continue to pop up.

Supplements to help your immune system

Doctors and pharmacists are telling Americans that there is nothing proven to prevent coronavirus. However, certain supplements may be effective in boosting the immune systems for some people.

Bob Craig, the manager of a health food store, has seen a flood of new customers in recent weeks, all hoping to find something to help strengthen their immunity.

But he warns all of them that he is not hawking anything as coronavirus prevention.

"I don't want to give anybody false hopes," Craig said. "The best we can do is help you get your body healthy enough so that if something comes along, it can fend it off."

To that end, he shows customers his large selection of herbal teas and natural multivitamins that boost overall health.

His biggest seller? Good old Vitamin C.

"The experts suggest large doses of vitamin C, simple as that," he said.

He says Vitamin D is another possible immune booster, as is elderberry, which Craig sells in syrup and gummy form.

"You can't go wrong with it," he said.

Scientific studies cited in a recent USA Today report show that Vitamin C can help reduce the severity of colds but it has not been proven to prevent colds or viruses.

Other studies now suggest Vitamin D may help prevent COVID-19 deaths in hospitals , though again, there is no scientific proof that it can prevent a person from contracting the disease.

Exercise, meditation, and rest

Others suggest adopting a healthier lifestyle.

Kristyn Worley and Melissa Kidd own a wellness center called LifePath . They sell natural vitamin supplements and oils, and, to ease stress, teach yoga classes in a converted church. They say exercise is key to strengthening your immune system.

"We recommend daily exercise, something as simple as 15 to 30 minutes getting your heart rate up every day," Worley said. "Resting and managing our stress is important, as well."

They also say that they have no proven cures, but they feel exercise and meditation, along with supplements, can strengthen the body.

"Get plenty of rest, drink plenty of liquids, keep yourself eating right, do the right things," she said.

Bottom line: exercise, get rest, eat your vegetables and take vitamins. Mom was probably right all along.

That way, you don't waste your money.

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No vitamin will cure you of COVID-19, but some could help boost your immune system - KSHB

LOS ANGELES: Temporarily suppressing the body's immune system during the early stages of Covid-19 could help a patient avoid severe symptoms of the deadly disease, according to a study. The research, published in the Journal of Medical Virology, shows that an interaction between the body's two main lines of defence may be causing the immune system to go into overdrive in some patients.

The body's first line of defence, the innate immune response, starts right after an infection, killing the virus and any cells damaged by it, said researchers from the University of Southern California (USC) in the US.

Using the "target cell-limited model," a common mathematical model developed to understand the dynamics of viral infections, the researchers examined how the two immune responses work in Covid-19 patients compared to patients who have the flu.

Researchers noted that the flu is a fast-moving infection that attacks certain target cells on the surface of the upper respiratory system and kills almost all of the target cells within two to three days.

The death of these cells deprives the virus of more targets to infect and allows the innate immune response time to clear the body of almost all of the virus before the adaptive system comes into play, they said.

However, Covid-19, which targets surface cells throughout the respiratory system including in the lungs, has an average incubation of six days and a much slower disease progression.

Mathematical modelling suggests that the adaptive immune response may kick in before the target cells are depleted, slowing down the infection and interfering with the innate immune response's ability to kill off most of the virus quickly.

"The danger is, as the infection keeps going on, it will mobilise the whole of the adaptive immune response with its multiple layers," said Weiming Yuan, an associate professor at USC.

"This longer duration of viral activity may lead to an overreaction of the immune system called a cytokine storm, which kills healthy cells, causing tissue damage," Yuan said.

The interaction of the innate and the adaptive immune responses might also explain why some Covid-19 patients experience two waves of the disease, appearing to get better before eventually getting much worse.

"With the right suppressive agent, we may be able to delay the adaptive immune response and prevent it from interfering with the innate immune response which enables faster elimination of the virus and the infected cells," Du explained.

Here is the original post:
Supressing immune response may help avoid severe coronavirus symptoms: Study - Times of India

Wearing masks, keeping your distance, washing your hands those rulescurrently apply around the globe. There is not much more we can do, except wait for an effective drug against COVID-19 to be developed. Right? No, not quite!

There is something else that is now more important than ever and that should be no less stressed than good hand hygiene. Something that has not gained a prominent place in either the public debate or in the catalogue of government recommendations: a functioning immune system.

Biochemist Adrian Gombart, who is doing research on the relevance of nutrients for the immune system at the Linus Pauling Institute of Oregon State University, wanted to change this situation. Together with his colleagues, he set about producing a review paper summarizing the results of studies on different nutrients and their influence on the human immune system. These are findings that could be an additional weapon in the fight against the novel coronavirus.

Read more:The race towards a coronavirus vaccine: What's the latest?

Nothing works without vitamins

"The measures being taken are all important. But it is also important that we pay attention to our nutrient status so that our immune system can function at all," said Gombart. This is especially important in stressful times like these, when we tend to comfort ourselves with junk food, he says. After all, getting enough nutrients is not really a focus of our interest at the moment.

Yet vitamins C and D and other micronutrients such as zinc, iron and selenium are much more than just "nice to have." In the worst case, a nutrient deficiency can open the door to the viruses because the body is unable to defend itself against the invaders. For people who belong to a risk group, the danger of a severe course of disease is then particularly high.

This comes down to simple biochemistry: "Every cell in our body uses different micronutrients to function," says Gombart. Micronutrients include vitamins, minerals and omega fatty acids.

Unlike macronutrients such as fat, carbohydrates and protein, the micronutrients do not provide the body with energy, but they are nevertheless essential for the basic functions of an organism not only for cell metabolism, but also for the defense system.

Holding the lines of defense

Adrian Gombart's research focuses mainly on vitamin D. "A few years ago, our research group discovered that vitamin D regulates the expression of a gene encoding an antimicrobial peptide," he says. Such peptides are involved in the body's non-specific defense mechanisms. "Vitamin D is also involved in the regulation of other immune-related genes," Gombart says.

Read more:The immune system's fight against the coronavirus

On the other hand, a vitamin D deficiency can leave a gap in our body's defenses. Intruders then have an easier time of it.

But in the best-case scenario, the human body can do a lot to defend itself. Intruding germs must first pass through the skin and mucous membranes. If they manage to overcome this first line of defense, the body reacts to the invaders with phagocytes, antimicrobial proteins and inflammation. These processes are among the body's non-specific defense mechanisms. But if this generalized defense does not help, things have to become more precise.

SARS-CoV-2 can be fought only by a very specific immune response. Lymphocytes detect foreign microorganisms and molecules alien to the body such as viruses. The lymphocytes can then produce antibodies and go into battle like sharpshooters.

Vitamin C against pathogens

These processes can function as they are meant to only if the body is well-equipped for example, with vitamin C. "Vitamin C is needed, among other things, to form reactive oxygen species, also known as oxygen radicals. These radicals are another of the body's weapons in the fight against pathogens," says Gombart. Vitamin C is also involved in the production of antibodies, without which the body cannot keep COVID-19 in check.

High doses of vitamin C are thus used to treat patients suffering from COVID-19and undergoing intensive medical treatment, says Isabelle Schiffer.

Schiffer is a geneticist and gerontologist and the scientific spokesperson of the Forever Healthy Foundation. When there isn't a pandemic going on, Schiffer and her colleagues examine the question of how people can become as healthy as possible as they age. Their recommendations are based on findings from various scientific disciplines.

Read more:The danger of vitamin D deficiency

Naturopathy from a scientific point of view

This holistic approach also includes naturopathy. In order to "make a contribution" during the coronavirus crisis, as Schiffer says, the Forever Healthy team set out to find medicinal plants whose effectiveness has been confirmed in clinical studies.

"We have found that there is very little knowledge about plant substances that might potentially be able to help attenuate symptoms or alleviate the course of an infection," says Schiffer. The scientist finds it important to emphasize that naturopathy cannot replace conventional medicine, but can complement it.

"Many people who hear the term 'naturopathy' immediately have an image in their minds of some miracle healer who wants to cure cancer. That is, of course, not what naturopathy can do," says Schiffer. It is much more about strengthening the immune system, she says.

Schiffer and her colleagues have identified elderberry as one of the plant substances that might be helpful in the fight against COVID-19: "Clinical studies have shown that elderberry extract reduces the likelihood of catching a cold and shortens the duration of respiratory problems in influenza patients," said Schiffer.

Read more:Is taking too many vitamins harmful?

Food or dietary supplement?

The positive effect of elderberry is not mere hocus-pocus but has to do with biochemistry: It contains numerous vitamins and trace elements. Both Isabelle Schiffer and Adrian Gombart believethat it is currently advisable to increase the dose of vitamins and other micronutrients with the help of supplements. Most people lack enough vitamin D in particular.

The German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) does not share their view of the efficacy of supplements: "In principle, a balanced and varied diet provides the healthy body with all substances essential to life," it says in a statement.

However, the institute admits that there are exceptions to this rule: During pregnancy and breastfeeding, the need for nutrients is increased. Elderly people, who are the top risk group in the current situation, also often tend to not haveenough of them.

There is much to suggest that the question of a functioning immune system deserves a higher priority in the political debate on public health. Healthy eating should not be a question of lifestyle but a measure for the prevention of disease. Just like thorough hand washing.

Although the pineapple's exact origins remain unknown, Christopher Columbus is said to have discovered the pineapple in Guadeloupe, a Caribbean island colonized by the French in the 17th century. Pictures like this one (from France, around 1900), showing a farming collective, were supposed to bring Europeans closer to the exotic flora of their South Sea colonies.

Have you ever thought about how a pineapple grows? What the plant actually looks like? It's a member of the Bromeliaceae family; bromeliads are popular indoor plants in Germany because they are robust and form pretty flowers. Rooted in the soil, the pineapple plant forms a trunk with many thick-fleshed leaves. The flower develops at the upper end of the stem.

The blossom is comprised of many small, individual blossoms around 100 to 200 pieces. Over time, they develop into the pineapple fruit. Even though the plant can grow quite large, botanists have labeled the pineapple as a berry.

The pineapple is a miracle-worker, health-wise. It contains loads of vitamin C alongside other minerals and trace elements like manganese, copper, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, iodine, zinc and an enzyme called bromelain, said to be good for digestion. Pineapple regulates metabolism and is a mood enhancer. In addition, it is said to help with detoxify and most importantly make one beautiful.

Although the pineapple is healthy, it is not necessarily good for weight loss. One popular pineapple diet would have you eating just pineapple while drinking plenty of water or tea. If you do this for a few days, you actually lose weight. Not so fast, though: The pineapple does not lead to long-term loss of fat, but only dehydrates you. Once the diet is over, the famous yo-yo effect occurs.

German TV chef Clemens Wilmenrod claimed to have invented Toast Hawaii in the 50s. A slice of toast with ham, a slice of pineapple and the whole thing covered with melted cheese and voila! One of the most popular German dishes of the 70s and 80s, these sandwiches can still be found on the menu of many of the country's snack bars or parties to this day. The Italian version: pizza Hawaii.

Asian cuisine, in contrast, is a bit more refined in its use of pineapple. An integral part of a typical vegetable mix, the pineapple is used in dishes from Vietnam, Thailand or Cambodia. This photo shows the Cambodian fish dish "Amok Trey," made with coconut milk, lemongrass, mushrooms and pineapple.

Pia Colada means sifted pineapple in Spanish. It's a sweet and creamy cocktail mixing coconut cream, rum and pineapple. Some bartenders add a touch of cream and coconut liqueur. The recipe is not a hard one: 6 cl white rum, 2 cl coconut liqueur, 10 cl pineapple juice, 2cl cream, 4cl coconut milk. Put everything in the shaker and shake well. Put ice into the glass, pour over it, decorate: ready.

Author: Silke Wnsch (ct)

Read the original here:
COVID-19: How to boost the immune system with vitamins - Deutsche Welle

Every week there are numerous scientific studies published. Heres a look at some of the more interesting ones.

Timing the Immune Response of COVID-19

A study from the Keck School of Medicine at USC suggests that temporarily suppressing the immune system during the early stages of COVID-19 can avoid severe symptoms. This is related to research showing an interaction between the bodys two primary lines of defense may be overstimulating the patients immune system. The research was published in the Journal of Medical Virology.

Some COVID-19 patients may experience a resurgence of the disease after an apparent easing of symptoms, said Sean Du, adjunct researcher and lead author of the study. Its possible that the combined effect of the adaptive and the innate immune responses may reduce the virus to a low level temporarily. However, if the virus is not completely cleared, and the target cells regenerate, the virus can take hold again and reach another peak.

As a result of what they call a counterintuitive idea, they are proposing a short regimen of an appropriate immunosuppressant drug applied early in the disease. Du said, With the right suppressive agent, we may be able to delay the adaptive immune response and prevent it from interfering with the innate immune response, which enables faster elimination of the virus and the infected cells.

The bodys innate immune response begins right after infection. The second line of defense is the adaptive immune response, which doesnt start for several days if any virus remains. It uses what it has learned about the virus to marshal a variety of T-cells and B-cells to attack the remaining virus. COVID-19, which targets surface cells throughout the respiratory system, has an average incubation of six days and a slower disease progression than, for example, the flu. The adaptive immune response, they believe, may start before the target cells are depleted, which slows down the infection and interferes with the innate immune responses ability to kill off most of the virus.

High Blood Pressure Medications Safe for COVID-19 Patients

One of the clear comorbidities for COVID-19 is high blood pressure. NYU Langone Health/NYU School of Medicine studied 12,594 patients to determine if common high blood pressure drugs increased the risk of contracting the disease or of developing severe disease. The study found no links between treatment with four drug classes: angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors; angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs); beta blockers; or calcium channel blockers. They also did not find an increased likelihood of a positive test for COVID-19 in people taking these medications.

Researchers ID Protein Linked to Lyme Disease Arthritis

Investigators at Washington State University identified a surface protein called VIsE that prevents the immune system from fighting Lyme disease. In particular, the study looked at how VIsE protects one of the primary proteins response for persistent arthritis in the disease. This is one step closer to being able to develop a vaccine against Lyme.

Korean Researchers ID 2 Already Approved Drugs that Show Promise Against COVID-19

Korean investigators screened 48 FDA-approved drugs against SARS-CoV-2 and identified two that showed promise. One is niclosamide, marketed by Bayer under the name Niclocide, as well as by others, and is used to treat tapeworm infections. The drug generally has slow absorption, which would likely diminish its effectiveness for COVID-19. The second is ciclesonide, an inhaled corticosteroid used to treat asthma and allergic rhinitis.

Activating an Estrogen Receptor Shows Promise for Halting Pancreatic Cancer

Scientists at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine found that activating the G protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPER), found on the surface of many normal and cancer tissues, appears to stop pancreatic cancer from growing. It also appears to make the cancer cells more visible to the immune system, meaning it should improve immunotherapy. It has generally been noted that women have better outcomes than men for most cancer types. But, the concept that cancers in non-reproductive tissues may also be influenced by sex steroid hormones is a fairly recent concept.

Key Insight into Prion Diseases

An infectious prion is a protein without nucleic acid, linked to mad cow disease and similar disease in humans, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, as well as fatal familial insomnia and kuru. These diseases are always fatal and very poorly understood how prions actually cause disease. Tricia Serio, dean of the College of Natural Sciences and professor of biochemistry and molecular biology at University of Massachusetts Amherst, identified a key piece of the puzzle. It has been known that prion protein (PrP) misfolding is part of the disease process. In mammals, the protein quality control system responds to folding mistakes with chaperone molecules that search for misfolds and attempt to correct the mistakes. Prions misfold so fat chaperones cant keep up. The new finding was that prion aggregates come in different sizesfor the same proteinand it turns out that the seed complex has to double in size for the disease to persist. The minimum size of the prion determines whether the chaperone can win.

Genetic Complexity and Redundancy Complicates Precision Medicine

Precision medicine is the concept that each persons genetic makeup uniquely affects their response to drugs. Mapping of the human genome, completed in 2003, opened up the field. Researchers with McMaster University, noting that precision and personalized medicine hasnt quite lived up to its promise, undertook a massive review of decades of research in the field, which they published in Genomic Medicine.

Their review found that unnecessary complexity in evolutionary pathways need to be further understood, right down to the level of genomic variations between individual cells in the same person, before personalized medicine can be leveraged effectively.

Our bodies have an immense ability to change and to cope with issues that arise, said Bhagwati Gupta, who conducted the research with fellow evolutionary biologist Rama Singh. Context matters in our genome. Even a simple mutation can have a profound effect on the body, when acting in combination with others.

The authors note that individual genes dont determine sickness or health on their own. They interact with groups of other genes and the environment in ways that are only starting to be understood.

The idea has long been that individual genetic mutations could be classified as good, bad or neutral, Singh says. Genes, though, do not work alone, and so no single gene can be considered to be good, bad or neutral in all contexts.

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Research Roundup: Timing the Immune Response of COVID-19 and More - BioSpace

A medical worker walks in front of Transform MD Medical Center in White Plains, N.Y., where antibody testing was being offered. Pablo Monsalve/VIEW press/Corbis via Getty Images hide caption

A medical worker walks in front of Transform MD Medical Center in White Plains, N.Y., where antibody testing was being offered.

Most people infected with the novel coronavirus develop antibodies in response.

But scientists don't know whether people who have been exposed to the coronavirus will be immune for life, as is usually the case for the measles, or if the disease will return again and again, like the common cold.

"This to me is one of the big unanswered questions that we have," says Jeffrey Shaman, a professor of environmental health sciences at Columbia University, "because it really says, 'What is the full exit strategy to this and how long are we going to be contending with it?' "

He's one of many scientists on a quest for answers. And the pieces are starting to fall into place.

Antibodies, which are proteins found in the blood as part of the body's immune response to infection, are a sign that people could be developing immunity. But antibodies are by no means a guarantee a person will be protected for life or even for a year.

Shaman has been studying four coronaviruses that cause the common cold. "They're very common and so people seem to get them quite often," Shaman says. Ninety percent of people develop antibodies to those viruses, at least in passing, but "our evidence is those antibodies are not conferring protection."

That may be simply because colds are relatively mild, so the immune system doesn't mount a full-blown response, suggests Stanley Perlman, a pediatrician who studies immunology and microbiology at the University of Iowa. "That's why people get colds over and over again," he says. "It doesn't really tickle the immune response that much."

He's studied one of the most severe coronaviruses, the one that causes SARS, and he's found that the degree of immunity depended on the severity of the disease. Sicker people remained immune for much longer, in some cases many years.

For most people exposed to the novel coronavirus, "I think in the short term you're going to get some protection," Perlman says. "It's really the time of the protection that matters."

Perlman notes that for some people the symptoms of COVID-19 are no worse than a cold, while for others they are severe. "That's why it's tricky," he says, to predict the breadth of an immune response.

And it's risky to assume that experiences with other coronaviruses are directly applicable to the new one.

"Unfortunately, we cannot really generalize what kind of immunity is needed to get protection against a virus unless we really learn more about the virus," says Akiko Iwasaki, a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator at the Yale University School of Medicine.

An immunobiologist, she is part of a rapidly expanding effort to figure this out. She and her colleagues are already studying the immune response in more than 100 patients in the medical school hospital. She's encouraged that most people who recover from the coronavirus have developed antibodies that neutralize the coronavirus in a petri dish.

"Whether that's happening inside the body we don't really know," she cautions.

Research like hers will answer that question, eventually.

But not all antibodies are protective. Iwasaki says some can actually contribute to the disease process and make the illness worse. These antibodies can contribute to inflammation and lead the body to overreact. That overreaction can even be deadly.

"Which types of antibodies protect the host versus those that enhance the disease? We really need to figure that out," she says.

The studies at Yale will follow patients for at least a year, to find out how slowly or quickly immunity might fade. "I wish there was a shortcut," Iwasaki says, "but we may not need to wait a year to understand what type of antibodies are protective."

That's because she and other immunologists are looking for patterns in the immune response that will identify people who have long-term immunity.

Researchers long ago figured out what biological features in the blood (called biomarkers) correlate with immunity to other diseases, says Kari Nadeau, a pediatrician and immunologist at the Stanford University School of Medicine. She expects researchers will be able to do the same for the new coronavirus.

Nadeau is working on several studies, including one that seeks to recruit 1,000 people who were previously exposed to the coronavirus. One goal is to identify people who produce especially strong, protective antibody responses. She says the antibody-producing cells from those people can potentially be turned into vaccines.

Another critical question she's zeroing in on is whether people who become immune are still capable of spreading the virus.

"Because you might be immune, you might have protected yourself against the virus," she says, "but it still might be in your body and you're giving it to others."

It would have huge public health implications if it turns out people can still spread the disease after they've recovered. Studies from China and South Korea seemed to suggest this was possible, though further studies have cast doubt on that as a significant feature of the disease.

Nadeau is also trying to figure out what can be said about the antibody blood-tests that are now starting to flood the market. There are two issues with these tests. First, a positive test may be a false-positive result, so it may be necessary to run a confirmatory test to get a credible answer. Second, it's not clear that a true positive test result really indicates a person is immune and, if so, for how long.

Companies would like to be able to use these tests to identify people who can return to work without fear of spreading the coronavirus.

"I see a lot of business people wanting to do the best for their employees, and for good reason," Nadeau says. "And we can never say you're fully protected until we get enough [information]. But right now we're working hard to get the numbers we need to be able to see what constitutes protection and what does not."

It could be a matter of life or death to get this right. Answers to these questions are likely to come with the accumulation of information from many different labs. Fortunately, scientists around the world are working simultaneously to find answers.

You can contact NPR Science Correspondent Richard Harris at rharris@npr.org.

Originally posted here:
Do Antibodies Against The Novel Coronavirus Prevent Reinfection? : Shots - Health News - NPR