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The MedUni Vienna study provides new information for a better understanding of the disease and potential biomarkers for vaccine development.
In a study recently published in the journal Allergy, a team of scientists from MedUni Vienna led by immunologist Winfried F. Pickl and allergist Rudolf Valenta (both from the Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology) showed that there are seven ” disease” . in the case of COVID-19 with a mild course of the disease and that the disease leaves significant changes in the immune system even after 10 weeks. These findings could play an important role in treating patients and developing an effective vaccine.
In the study with 109 convalescents and 98 healthy people in the control group, the researchers were able to show that various COVID-19-related symptoms occur in symptom groups. They identified seven groups of symptoms: 1) “flu-like symptoms” (with fever, chills, fatigue and cough), 2) (“cold symptoms” (with rhinitis, sneezing, dry throat and nasal congestion), 3) ” joint and muscle pain “, 4)” Inflammation of the eyes and mucous membranes “, 5)” Lung problems “(including pneumonia and shortness of breath), 6)” Gastrointestinal problems “(including diarrhea, nausea and headache) and 7 ) “Loss of smell and taste and other symptoms.”
“In the latter group, we found that loss of smell and taste mainly affects people with a ‘young immune system’, as measured by the number of immune cells (T lymphocytes) that have recently migrated from the thymus. That means that we were able to clearly differentiate systemic forms (eg Groups 1 and 3) from organ-specific forms (eg Groups 6 and 7) of primary COVID-19 disease, “says Pickl.
COVID-19 fingerprint in blood
At the same time, the scientists found that COVID-19 left detectable changes in the convalescent’s blood that are very similar to a fingerprint. For example, the number of granulocytes, which are otherwise responsible in the immune system for fighting bacterial pathogens, is significantly lower than normal in the COVID-19 group. Pickl explains: “Both the CD4 and CD8 T cell compartments developed memory cells and the CD8 T cells remained highly activated. This indicates that the immune system is still busy dealing with the disease for a few weeks after the initial infection. At the same time, regulatory cells are greatly reduced and this is likely a dangerous mix that can lead to autoimmunity. “In addition, elevated levels of antibody-producing immune cells were found in the blood of convalescents: the higher the fever of the affected patient during the mild course of the disease, the higher the levels of antibodies against the virus.
“Our findings contribute to a better understanding of the disease and help us develop potential vaccines, as we now have access to promising biomarkers and can do even better monitoring,” the scientists point out. “Most importantly, the study shows that the human immune system” doubles “in defense against COVID-19 through the combined effect of immune cells and antibodies – like the defense in a modern soccer team – and that the cells can even remember certain” “The virus (note:” memory “) moves and responds to it. The task now is to implement these findings and use them to develop highly effective COVID-19 vaccines.”
Reference: “COVID-19 Immunological Footprint on Leukocyte Populations in Peripheral Blood of Humans” by Bernhard Kratzer, Doris Trapin, Paul Ettel, Ulrike Körmoczi, Arno Rottal, Friedrich Tuppy, Melanie Feichter, Pia Gattinger, Kristina Borochova, Julia Dorofeeva , Inna Tulaeva Milena Weber, Katharina Grabmeier-Pfistershammer, Peter Tauber, Marika Gerdow, Bernhard Mühl, Thomas Perkmann, Ingrid Fae, Sabine Wenda, Haraldführer, Rainer Henning, Rudolf Valenta and Winfried F. Pickl, 31 October 2020, allergy.
DOI: 10.1111 / all.14647
The study was funded by the City of Vienna Mayor’s Fund (COV001, COV006), FWF (PhD program Molecular, Cellular and Clinical Allergology; MCCA; DK-W1248), FFG (Austrian Agency for Research Promotion, Grant 35721032) and Viravaxx .
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