Read on Twitter
Hey hey, this is Rachel Ehrenberg ( @Rachelwrit), Associate Editor here at Knowable Magazine
I’m livetweeting today's free panel: “Covid-19 & the Immune System: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.” Follow along: #ResetImm
PS-there's still time to register: http://knowmag.org/3mTPOIa
I’m livetweeting today's free panel: “Covid-19 & the Immune System: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.” Follow along: #ResetImm
PS-there's still time to register: http://knowmag.org/3mTPOIa
Today’s speakers:
E. John Wherry
@EJohnWherry
( @WherryLab @PennMedicine @PennMedBench)
Akiko Iwasaki
@VirusesImmunity
( @HHMINEWS @YaleIBIO @YaleMed @YaleEMD @YaleSPH)
Moderator:
Richard Gallagher
@RichardG_AR
(EIC, @AnnualReviews & Publisher, Knowable)
#ResetImm
E. John Wherry
@EJohnWherry
( @WherryLab @PennMedicine @PennMedBench)
Akiko Iwasaki
@VirusesImmunity
( @HHMINEWS @YaleIBIO @YaleMed @YaleEMD @YaleSPH)
Moderator:
Richard Gallagher
@RichardG_AR
(EIC, @AnnualReviews & Publisher, Knowable)
#ResetImm
Back before Covid, @EJohnWherry spoke with us about how reinvigorating spent T cells can help treat cancer, save the lives of patients and eventually lead to new ways to harness the immune system to treat disease.
Here’s the Q&A
https://knowablemagazine.org/article/health-disease/2019/exhausted-t-cells-cancer #ResetImm
Here’s the Q&A
https://knowablemagazine.org/article/health-disease/2019/exhausted-t-cells-cancer #ResetImm
And new work by Wherry suggests that T cells may be key to the immune system remembering SARS-Cov-2:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7472965/ #ResetImm
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7472965/ #ResetImm
Wondering whether the changing seasons matter for Covid infections? For a deep dive into how environmental factors and human behavior affect the seasonality of viral infections see paper by @VirusesImmunity Annual Review of Virology ( @AnnualReviews) https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/10.1146/annurev-virology-012420-022445
If you've got questions, join the live event, which is just about to kick off! #ResetImm https://www.crowdcast.io/e/covid-19-and-the-immune
"How did your work on covid begin?"
@EJohnWherry began profiling immune response to viral infections in March. #ResetImm
@EJohnWherry began profiling immune response to viral infections in March. #ResetImm
As for @VirusesImmunity, her lab was studying immune response to other respiratory viruses and STD viruses. She began putting together a bio-repository of samples to study responses in real time. #ResetImm
Epithelial cells replicate the virus, about 700 particles per infected cell.
Imagine multiplying that number over and over, especially if there's no immune defense, says @VirusesImmunity. #ResetImm
Imagine multiplying that number over and over, especially if there's no immune defense, says @VirusesImmunity. #ResetImm
It's a race between virus and immune system, says @EJohnWherry.
There's an immediate response by initial immune system troops, then it takes 1/2 a week to 10 days for T cells and other players to get going. The initial dose of virus plays a big role. #ResetImm
There's an immediate response by initial immune system troops, then it takes 1/2 a week to 10 days for T cells and other players to get going. The initial dose of virus plays a big role. #ResetImm
What about young people responses that seem to be protective?
@VirusesImmunity says still a lot of unknowns. But kids are constantly getting colds, some of which are caused by coronaviruses. #ResetImm
@VirusesImmunity says still a lot of unknowns. But kids are constantly getting colds, some of which are caused by coronaviruses. #ResetImm
Also kids may have fewer ACE-2 receptors, which the virus uses as a doorknob to get into cells. Still a lot we don't know. #ResetImm
It seems like kids are more resistant up until about age 16, says @VirusesImmunity. Older people are most affected. #ResetImm
Want to learn more about the ACE-2 receptor and the structure of the coronavirus?
Here's @timvernimmen's report from March. #ResetImm https://knowablemagazine.org/article/health-disease/2020/closing-new-coronavirus
Here's @timvernimmen's report from March. #ResetImm https://knowablemagazine.org/article/health-disease/2020/closing-new-coronavirus
For more on the aging immune system — and what that means for vaccines — here's @JonathanWosen's overview from April. #ResetImm https://knowablemagazine.org/article/health-disease/2020/aging-immune-system-and-vaccines
What is time scale for typical T cell response to virus?
@EJohnWherry says about a week to 10 days for T cell response, you are also getting a B cell response. T cell is backup and/or partner to antibody response. #ResetImm
@EJohnWherry says about a week to 10 days for T cell response, you are also getting a B cell response. T cell is backup and/or partner to antibody response. #ResetImm
There are multiple ways the immune system seems to be failing in response to SARS-CoV-2.
Failing = inappropriate response. #ResetImm
Failing = inappropriate response. #ResetImm
This is the fastest we've learned anything about a human infectious disease, probably in the history of man, says @EJohnWherry, akin to what we learned in a decade of studying HIV. #ResetImm
For more about genetics & susceptibility, here's @timvernimmen's report from earlier this month: https://knowablemagazine.org/article/health-disease/2020/genetic-susceptibility-to-coronavirus-covid-19 #ResetImm
These genetic differences seem to matter for interferon pathways.
(Interferons are immune system molecules named for interfering with viral infections.) #ResetImm
(Interferons are immune system molecules named for interfering with viral infections.) #ResetImm
If you can't make interferons, a very early frontline defense, it crumbles the rest of the defense system says @VirusesImmunity #ResetImm
That's partly because interferons prevent spread.
When T cells arrive, they destroy infected cells, so they will have to destroy many more human cells if virus has been multiplying unchecked says @EJohnWherry. #ResetImm
When T cells arrive, they destroy infected cells, so they will have to destroy many more human cells if virus has been multiplying unchecked says @EJohnWherry. #ResetImm
Humidity in air matters too says @VirusesImmunity #ResetImm
What's the deal with blood groups being associated with severity of infection?
That's the $64,000 questions says @EJohnWherry. It may be associated with blood coagulating.
#ResetImm
That's the $64,000 questions says @EJohnWherry. It may be associated with blood coagulating.
#ResetImm
Diet? We know healthy diet makes for a healthy immune system: fruits, veggies, etc, also keeps gut bacteria healthy. But we don't know a lot more than that. @EJohnWherry #ResetImm
Also exercise, enough sleep, healthy lifestyle very important, though hard to maintain during a pandemic, says @VirusesImmunity #ResetImm
Long-term consequences: long haulers suffer from disease for months, debilitating in some people.
We see that with some other viruses, says @VirusesImmunity. #ResetImm
We see that with some other viruses, says @VirusesImmunity. #ResetImm
So many people are infected with #Covid_19 now, we are seeing a lot of people suffering from long term problems. #ResetImm
Bright points: lethality is low and the virus seems to be mutating slowly (unlike HIV).
That's important for vaccine development, so we should be thankful for that, notes @VirusesImmunity. #ResetImm
That's important for vaccine development, so we should be thankful for that, notes @VirusesImmunity. #ResetImm
What about compromised patients, like people with cancer?
@EJohnWherry says most people with solid tumor cancers don't seem to do worse. But people with some leukemia/lymphomas or lung cancer do seem to have problems. #ResetImm
@EJohnWherry says most people with solid tumor cancers don't seem to do worse. But people with some leukemia/lymphomas or lung cancer do seem to have problems. #ResetImm
Most cancer patients are older, and that elderly population is more at risk #ResetImm
What about neonates (preemies)?
These neonates are at greater risk, underdeveloped. But if breast feeding will get some protections from mom. @VirusesImmunity #ResetImm
These neonates are at greater risk, underdeveloped. But if breast feeding will get some protections from mom. @VirusesImmunity #ResetImm
We have seen infection of placenta. Illustrates the very widespread nature of viral infection: heart, intestines, etc. #ResetImm
Are the recent positive vaccine results surpising?
@EJohnWherry: These are great results. Great data. We have to see it out in real world, these are just trials so far. But this is a major turning point. #ResetImm
@EJohnWherry: These are great results. Great data. We have to see it out in real world, these are just trials so far. But this is a major turning point. #ResetImm
While we're talking about vaccines — and the hopeful news — get the inside scoop on what it's like to participate in a vaccine trial, in @amberldance's essay #ResetImm https://knowablemagazine.org/article/health-disease/2020/i-got-pfizer-covid19-vaccine-or-maybe-not
But we have to be practical too: @EJohnWherry says we have to produce a lot of vaccine, vaccinate a lot of people, many of whom are resistant to vaccines. #ResetImm
The Pfizer news looks like it was effective in older people, which often isn't true for flu vaccines, so this is very good news, says @VirusesImmunity #ResetImm
What explains how fast these were developed?
Partly because of an investment in the last 15 years in basic vaccine research at the NIH. @EJohnWherry says that work put us in the position to do this faster than we could imagine. #ResetImm
Partly because of an investment in the last 15 years in basic vaccine research at the NIH. @EJohnWherry says that work put us in the position to do this faster than we could imagine. #ResetImm
We also have a lot of new platforms: RNA backbones, DNA backbones, that allowed us to do this quickly, says @EJohnWherry.
And the entire biomedical research community stopped their other work and turned to Covid-19. #ResetImm
And the entire biomedical research community stopped their other work and turned to Covid-19. #ResetImm
It's a reminder to continue to invest in basic research and the understanding of immune responses, says @VirusesImmunity. #ResetImm
How are researchers faring?
There is a physical toll of this work says @VirusesImmunity, but we also feel energized and honored to contribute to understanding of this virus and help come up with therapies. #ResetImm
There is a physical toll of this work says @VirusesImmunity, but we also feel energized and honored to contribute to understanding of this virus and help come up with therapies. #ResetImm
The toll of the hard work is countered by the emotional drive to contribute to society, says @VirusesImmunity. #ResetImm
