Researchers in Ottawa are embarking on a 10-month study to answer critical questions about how individual immune system responses to the novel coronavirus differ and how soon after infection a patient might be at risk again.
The teams findings could have major implications for vaccine research and help to predict an individuals risk of developing serious complications related to COVID-19, but one of the studys lead researchers warns the findings wont lead to any ironclad declarations of COVID immunity among recovered patients.
A team of researchers with the University of Ottawa and The Ottawa Hospital will study COVID-19 antibody and T cell responses from 1,000 subjects over the next 10 months. In an infection, T cells target infected cells and help to stimulate B cells, which then produce antibodies to neutralize pathogens and label them for disruption.
Half of the study participants will be people who have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, while the other half will be a surveillance cohort of front-line workers and other people who would have a high risk of exposure to the virus but might not have been tested for infection.
Story continues below advertisement
The goal will be to test how long these subjects immune systems produce antibodies capable of neutralizing the pathogen after the initial infection.
Dr. Marc-Andr Langlois, professor with the University of Ottawas Faculty of Medicine, tells Global News the study idea was first proposed in the spring to answer an integral question in combating the novel coronavirus pandemic.
Since the very beginning of the epidemic, we were quite sure everyone who is infected will make antibodies, but how long will those antibodies last and how long will that protection last?
The question of COVID immunity has been in the spotlight in recent weeks, with U.S. President Donald Trump proclaiming to be immune to COVID-19 after testing positive and subsequently recovering from the virus.
[ Sign up for our Health IQ newsletter for the latest coronavirus updates ]
Health experts have said Trumps messaging, which has included assertions that others who tested positive for the coronavirus are also immune, are extremely dangerous. Recent examples of individuals twice testing positive for the virus are also throwing those claims into doubt.
Langlois says Trump is a complicated case because of the experimental treatment he was given, which saw him treated with external antibodies rather than just developing them on his own.
Story continues below advertisement
Typically, an infected individuals immune response will develop its own antibodies and T cells the immune systems one-two punch to combat the pathogen. T cells and B cells can then form a memory of sorts that recognizes familiar pathogens and triggers a stronger response the next time a similar virus enters the immune system.
Trending Stories
The basis of long-term immunity is having these sentinels that remain in your lymph nodes and your bone marrow so that if youre re-exposed to the pathogen, you will be able to produce a fresh lot of antibodies on your own. These will be produced by your own cells and these will protect you, Langlois explains.
In the case of Trump, those antibodies came from an outside source and neutralized the virus. It is unknown if he has any memory B cells or memory T cells, he says.
But even in a typical immune response scenario, which can include an internal response triggered by an external vaccine, memory cells tend to fade after a period of time.
Because of the natural waning immunity to these antigens, vaccinations often require booster shots to restimulate the immune response for the long-term.
One of the most integral takeaways from the upcoming research, then, will be establishing the window of time when a booster would be needed for anyone receiving the upcoming COVID-19 vaccines so that the immunization sticks.
Story continues below advertisement
The convalescent cohort those who have had lab-confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus will be monitored over the next 10 months for their levels of neutralizing antibodies to help determine when the post-recovery immunity typically fades.
The other 500 participants who were at high risk of exposure but did not get a positive test will be tracked for their own immune responses.
Researchers are betting that a portion of the group, maybe five to 10 per cent, might have been infected early on in the pandemic and shown no or mild symptoms, making their immune responses especially important for determining what gives an individual more effective protection against the virus.
Well be able to monitor and study how these immune system responses are different from person to person and try to find predictors of disease severity, Langlois says.
By analyzing blood samples for neutralizing antibodies from these two cohorts, Langlois says the studys findings could help determine a minimum threshold of protection that could then predict whether someones immune system is likely to keep them safe from infection or more serious complications related to COVID-19.
He cautions, however, that immune responses vary greatly from person to person, and that the study wont give a standardized timeframe of immunity after a coronavirus infection. At best, the study could provide probabilities of infection based on various individual predictors, such as genetic markers.
Story continues below advertisement
Well never know for sure if they can get reinfected or what the severity of that infection is, Langlois says.
It will never be a black and white scenario where we say, Heres your stamp youre protected.
The Ottawa-based team, which includes epidemiologists, clinicians, legal and ethics experts, hopes to publish findings from the study in a years time, but Langlois notes that some research updates will likely be published as they go, given the time-sensitive nature of the work.
The researchers are currently looking for more participants in their study.
2020 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
Originally posted here:
COVID-19 immunity? Ottawa researchers to test long-term potency of coronavirus immune response - Global News
- Technion team discovers important adaptive strategy of the microbiome, impacting immune system - The Jerusalem Post - April 16th, 2024
- Targeting aging and age-related diseases with vaccines - Nature.com - April 16th, 2024
- Single cell analysis unveils B cell-dominated immune subtypes in HNSCC for enhanced prognostic and therapeutic ... - Nature.com - April 16th, 2024
- After the Smoke Clears: Scars on the Immune System - The Scientist - April 16th, 2024
- Exercise and the Immune System: What's the Latest Research? - Technology Networks - April 16th, 2024
- Analysis of immune cell infiltration characteristics in severe acute pancreatitis through integrated bioinformatics ... - Nature.com - April 16th, 2024
- Vaccination impairs de novo immune response to omicron breakthrough infection, a precondition for the original ... - Nature.com - April 16th, 2024
- Harnessing the power of the body's own cells to defeat cancer - Press Publications Inc. - April 16th, 2024
- Best Life: Immunotherapy targets brain cancer - Action News 5 - April 16th, 2024
- Dietary factors and their influence on immunotherapy strategies in oncology: a comprehensive review | Cell Death ... - Nature.com - April 16th, 2024
- New insights on B cells: Researchers explore building better antibodies and curbing autoimmune diseases - Medical Xpress - April 16th, 2024
- Immune cells' intense reaction to the coronavirus may lead to pneumonia - Science News Magazine - April 16th, 2024
- The telltale traces long Covid leaves in the blood - healthcare-in-europe.com - April 16th, 2024
- Overview of the Immune System - The Merck Manuals - March 18th, 2024
- SUNDAY Unraveling The Gut-Brain Connection: How Infant Gut Bacteria Shape Immune Resilience | TheHealthSit - TheHealthSite - March 18th, 2024
- Making drugs from T cells: The quantitative pharmacology of engineered T cell therapeutics | npj Systems Biology and ... - Nature.com - March 18th, 2024
- Study unlocks the mystery of neonatal neutropenia in newborns - News-Medical.Net - March 18th, 2024
- Vertebral Subluxation and Systems Biology: An Integrative Review Exploring the Salutogenic Influence of Chiropractic ... - Cureus - March 18th, 2024
- A new strategy to attack aggressive brain cancer shrank tumors in two early tests - ABC News - March 18th, 2024
- Turning on the Bat Signal - The Scientist - March 18th, 2024
- Power Foods That Can Support Your Immune System - Videos from The Weather Channel - The Weather Channel - March 18th, 2024
- Report: Aggressive brain tumors respond to new, immune-focused therapy - UPI News - March 18th, 2024
- Designer immune-cell therapy could shrink deadly brain tumors, early trials show - Livescience.com - March 18th, 2024
- 20.2: Introduction to the Immune System - Biology LibreTexts - February 27th, 2024
- Can one shot of yoghurt really boost your immunity and gut health? - Daily Mail - February 27th, 2024
- New cancer therapy approved by FDA supercharges bodys immune system - The Washington Post - February 27th, 2024
- How bubonic plague rewired the human immune system - BBC.com - February 27th, 2024
- Innovative therapy targets and destroys leukemia stem cells - News-Medical.Net - February 27th, 2024
- Participate in Our Study for $100; Open Slots This Week - University of Arkansas Newswire - February 27th, 2024
- Sexual dimorphism during integrative endocrine and immune responses to ionizing radiation in mice | Scientific Reports - Nature.com - February 27th, 2024
- Comprehensive pan-cancer analysis identifies the RNA-binding protein LRPPRC as a novel prognostic and immune ... - ScienceDirect.com - February 27th, 2024
- YOUR HEALTH: The HAMR fights cancer - WAFB - February 27th, 2024
- Cycles of a diet that mimics fasting can reduce signs of immune system aging, as well as insulin resistance and liver fat - News-Medical.Net - February 27th, 2024
- How the powerhouse of the cell could be cancers Achilles heel - Freethink - February 27th, 2024
- Food is medicine: The science behind zinc and other supplements for immune health - Healio - February 27th, 2024
- Unleashing Our Immune Response to Quash Cancer - Medscape - February 27th, 2024
- Tumor histoculture captures the dynamic interactions between tumor and immune components in response to anti-PD1 ... - Nature.com - February 27th, 2024
- Converging and evolving immuno-genomic routes toward immune escape in breast cancer - Nature.com - February 27th, 2024
- Sanjula Jain Urges a Comprehensive Approach in Address Alarming Rise in Cancer Cases Among Younger Populations - Managed Healthcare Executive - February 27th, 2024
- Cystic fibrosis breakthrough points to zinc as infection buster - New Atlas - February 27th, 2024
- Exploring synergies between B- and T-cell vaccine approaches to optimize immune responses against HIVworkshop ... - Nature.com - February 27th, 2024
- Is the 100-year old TB vaccine a new weapon against Alzheimers? - The Guardian - February 27th, 2024
- Immune system in the blood of Alzheimer's patients found to be epigenetically altered - News-Medical.Net - February 10th, 2024
- What impact does exercise have on your immune system? And how to stay well while cycling - BikeRadar - February 10th, 2024
- Had COVID recently? Here's what to know about how long immunity lasts, long COVID, and more - AAMC - February 10th, 2024
- Noor Momin harnesses the immune system to treat heart disease | Penn Today - Penn Today - February 10th, 2024
- Research reveals a process tumors use to induce immune suppressor cells and evade immunotherapy - Medical Xpress - February 10th, 2024
- Immune targeting of HIV-1 reservoir cells: a path to elimination strategies and cure - Nature.com - February 10th, 2024
- Preventing severe allergic reactions with nanoparticles - National Institutes of Health (NIH) (.gov) - February 10th, 2024
- Sugary handshakes are how cells talk to each other understanding these name tags can clarify how the immune ... - The Conversation Indonesia - February 10th, 2024
- Scientists have identified an immune cell that can cause allergies - EL PAS USA - February 10th, 2024
- Sickle cell and the importance of the immune system - Punch Newspapers - February 10th, 2024
- Which cancers can be treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors? - MD Anderson Cancer Center - February 10th, 2024
- How does waste leave the brain? Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis - Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis - February 10th, 2024
- Healthy Kids: Give your immune system a boost to stay healthy this winter - nbc16.com - February 10th, 2024
- The impact of prior exposure to hypoglycaemia on the inflammatory response to a subsequent hypoglycaemic episode ... - Cardiovascular Diabetology - February 10th, 2024
- Impact of Chronic Stress on Immune System and Depression | Health News - Medriva - February 10th, 2024
- I tried 'swamp soup,' the viral recipe that promises to boost your immune system - Yahoo News - February 10th, 2024
- Understanding Immune Checkpoint Inhibition Therapy: Challenges and Strategies - Medriva - February 10th, 2024
- One Simple Change May Dramatically Boost The Effect of COVID-19 Vaccines - ScienceAlert - February 10th, 2024
- The gut virome is associated with stress-induced changes in behaviour and immune responses in mice - Nature.com - February 10th, 2024
- Cancer vaccines are in the works to fight BRCA-linked gene mutations - The Philadelphia Inquirer - February 10th, 2024
- What are the organs of the immune system? - InformedHealth.org - NCBI ... - January 17th, 2024
- Novel insights into the immune response to bacterial T cell superantigens - Nature.com - January 17th, 2024
- FDA signs off on Takeda's HyQvia as maintenance therapy for CIDP - FiercePharma - January 17th, 2024
- CBDs Pobezinsky and Pobezinskaya Use Flow Cytometry to Determine How Tumor Cells Outwit the Bodys Immune ... - UMass News and Media Relations - January 17th, 2024
- Boosting. What To Do. - Science Based Medicine - January 17th, 2024
- Axelia Oncology takes its TLR2/6 agonist into the clinic to harness the innate immune system - BioWorld Online - January 17th, 2024
- Long COVID manifests with T cell dysregulation, inflammation and an uncoordinated adaptive immune response to ... - Nature.com - January 17th, 2024
- Opinion | Thanks to mRNA, Future Drugs Will Be Easier and Faster to Make - Mississippi Free Press - January 17th, 2024
- Elon research team models the COVID immune response, one equation at a time - Today at Elon - January 17th, 2024
- Are plant-based meals good for your immune system? 4 things to know about improving your health this week. - Yahoo Life - January 17th, 2024
- Scientists Find Key To Potential Breast Cancer Prevention, Treatment | Newsroom - UNC Health and UNC School of Medicine - January 17th, 2024
- What if every germ hit you at the exact same time? An immunologist explains - The Conversation - January 17th, 2024
- Why Don't We Have a Staph Vaccine? - Healthnews.com - January 17th, 2024
- Best ways to improve your immune system - The Business Standard - January 17th, 2024
- Stanford University researchers think future pandemics could be prevented with universal vaccines - KGO-TV - January 17th, 2024
- Why you may feel depressed and anxious when you're ill and how to cope with it - The Conversation - January 17th, 2024
- New mechanism with potential to boost checkpoint-blocking cancer immunotherapies identified - Medical Xpress - January 17th, 2024
- Battling Bugs and Blues: The Interplay of Infection and Emotion - News-Medical.Net - January 17th, 2024