Biologists of Foggy Albion presented the first evidence that the “common cold” in some cases leads to the development of cellular immunity with a wide profile of action. As a result, the immune system is able to cope with the new coronavirus infection COVID-19.
To such a promising conclusion specialists came Imperial College London. True, this does not mean at all that all the inhabitants of the planet should now run to check the level of T-lymphocytes or refuse to be vaccinated.
“We have received the first clear evidence that T-cell immunity, [развивающийся при] colds protects a person from coronavirus infection. This is due to the fact that these immune cells attack the internal regions of the virus, and not the protein spikes on its envelope, “explained Professor Ajit Lalwani (Ajit Lalvani).
Dr. Ria Kundu, lead author of the study at the National Heart and Lung Institute, adds: “Exposure to the SARS-CoV-2 virus does not always lead to infection, and we were eager to understand why. We found that high levels of pre-existing T cells that have appeared in the body through contact with other human coronaviruses that cause the common cold can protect against COVID-19 infection.
While this is an important discovery, it is only one form of protection, and I would like to emphasize that no one should rely on it alone.
Instead, the best way to protect yourself from COVID-19 is to be fully vaccinated, including getting a booster dose of the vaccine. “
It all began with the fact that two years ago British epidemiologists discovered an unusual feature of the common cold: it sharply reduced the likelihood of getting the flu. Potentially, something similar can happen with coronavirus infection.
The current study began in September 2020. Then the scientists selected 52 previously not sick COVID-19 and not vaccinated residents of Manchester who lived with infected people. The latest coronavirus infection was confirmed using PCR tests. That is, potentially participants could pick up virus SARS-CoV-2.
The study participants also underwent PCR tests 4 and 7 days after exposure. This was necessary to determine if they had developed an infection.
Blood samples were also taken from all 52 participants (within 1-6 days after contact with the sick). This allowed the researchers to figure out the number of pre-existing T cells in humans that were induced by previous coronavirus infections that caused the common cold. (To clarify, T-lymphocytes can sometimes cross-recognize proteins of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.)
Scientists have found that the blood of residents of Manchester who had a cold in the recent past contained a large number of T cells that can neutralize both the common cold virus and SARS-CoV-2.
Subsequent studies of immune cells showed that the crossover did not target the capsid (shell) proteins of SARS-CoV-2, but its internal components.
Let us remind that the proteins of the SARS-CoV-2 “crown” thorns evolve rather quickly, which manifests itself in the form of the emergence of new strains. Accordingly, the structure of these spikes is rapidly changing, and the immune system loses its ability to recognize the old enemy.
This discovery once again emphasizes that new vaccines against coronavirus should not target the proteins of the spines of the “crown”, but the “insides” of the pathogen.
“The structure of these parts of the coronavirus is almost completely the same for all existing variants of SARS-CoV-2, including for the omicron variant. New vaccines should be aimed precisely at these areas, which will allow the formation of cellular immunity that can withstand a large number of both currently existing and future variants of coronaviruses, “summed up Professor Lalwani.
Article by the authors of the discovery was published in Nature Communications.
Recall that in 2003 the world first experienced the outbreak of SARS (caused by the SARS-CoV virus), and in 2012 the Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS-CoV) began to spread. However, then the diseases did not reach the level of a pandemic.
Earlier we also wrote that the less infectious omicron variant of the coronavirus could appear in mouse.
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