RE: Scancell retweet - FT "T-cells: the missing link in coronavirus immunity?"19 Jul 2020 20:39
https://amp.ft.com/content/5cf2ee49-df7a-4990-b337-860cf7737b2f?__twitter_impression=true
A reminder to read this if you missed it - a great summary IMO and the graphics used are exemplary. Almost prefectly justifying and supporting Nottingham/Scancells approach IMO.
"...Scientists who have spent months focused on the role of antibodies in fighting Covid-19 are beginning to suspect that a lesser known part of the immune system is equally crucial: T-cells.
Evidence is emerging that T-cells, which can “remember” past infections and kill pathogens if they reappear, have a big influence on how long patients remain resistant to reinfection by Covid-19.
The cells, whose size and complexity dwarf tiny antibodies, also appear to affect how well vaccines work and even the level of immunity in the community required to suppress new waves of disease.
“Antibodies do look slightly precarious and transient in the blood, while there is a lot of evidence that T-cells are long lasting,” said Mala Maini, professor of viral immunology at University College London."
"T-cells come in several different types, including killer T-cells, helper T-cells and memory T-cells. Then there are B-cells — another essential category of white blood cell. Among other roles B-cells are the immune system’s antibody factories.
Al Edwards, associate professor at Reading University’s School of Pharmacy, offers an analogy. “T-cells are tasting the virus whereas the antibodies are feeling the virus,” he said. “T-cells can promote antibody responses and antibody responses can promote a T-cell response. These two systems work together.”
“Even if you’re left with no detectable circulating antibodies, that doesn’t necessarily mean you have no protective immunity, because you are likely to have memory immune cells (B and T cells) that can rapidly kick into action to start up a new immune response if you re-encounter the virus,” added Prof Maini of UCL. “So you might well get a milder infection.”"
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