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People who recover from COVID-19 are protected against the new coronavirus for at least six months, and possibly much longer, according to a study which indicates that the immune system evolves long after infection and can block even mutant forms of the virus. viruses such as the South African Variant. The research, published in the journal Nature, noted that antibodies are produced by immune cells that continue to evolve, apparently due to continued exposure to remnants of the virus hidden in intestinal tissue.
Scientists, including those at Rockefeller University in the United States, say the study provides “the strongest evidence to date” that the immune system “remembers” the virus and, remarkably, continues to improve performance. antibody quality even after the infection has cleared. They suspect that when recovered patients encounter the virus, the response would be both faster and more effective, preventing reinfection.
“This is really exciting news. The kind of immune response we see here could potentially provide protection for a period of time, allowing the body to respond quickly and effectively to the virus upon re-exposure,” says Michel C. Nussenzweig, co-author of the Rockefeller University study.
While antibodies to the coronavirus persist in the blood plasma for several weeks or months, previous studies have shown that their levels drop dramatically over time. However, the researchers have shown that instead of making antibodies all the time, the immune system creates memory B cells that recognize the coronavirus and quickly release a new set of antibodies when they encounter it a second time.
Since the novel coronavirus replicates in cells in the lungs, upper throat and small intestine, they suspect that residual viral particles hidden in these tissues could be the cause of memory B cell evolution. . In the current study, scientists looked at the antibody responses of 87 individuals at two points in time – one month after infection, and then again six months later.
Although the antibodies were still detectable after six months, their number had markedly decreased, with laboratory experiments revealing that the ability of participants’ plasma samples to neutralize the virus was reduced by five times. In contrast, the researchers found that patients’ memory B cells – especially those that produce antibodies to the coronavirus did not decrease in number. These cells also increased slightly in some cases, the study noted.
Scientists also found that memory B cells underwent many mutations even after the infection resolved. As a result, the antibodies they produced were much more effective than the originals, the study noted. According to the researchers, these antibodies were better able to cling tightly to the virus and could even recognize mutated versions of it. “The total number of memory B cells that produced antibodies attacking the Achilles heel of the virus, known as the receptor binding domain, remained the same,” said Christian Gaebler, another co-author of study. “This is good news because these are the ones you need if you come across the virus again,” Gaebler said.
(Disclaimer: This story was not edited by www.republicworld.com and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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