Indeed, presence of viral proteins has been associated with hyperinflammatory responses such as in severe COVID-19 or the notorious multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C). Given myocarditis also occurs after other vaccines, it is likely that the presence of circulating spike is a biomarker rather than the causal agent. The implications of this finding are unclear, since it is yet unknown how the spike protein evades cleavage or clearance, especially in the setting of a normal adaptive immune response, or whether in itself is pathogenic. Patients who developed postvaccine myocarditis had persistently elevated free spike protein in circulation, which correlated with evidence of cardiac injury and inflammatory cytokines. In summary, the data show that adaptive and T-cell immunity responses were normal in recipients of mRNA vaccines, both with and without myocarditis. The investigators used a thorough approach in teasing out the various aspects that could underlie vaccine-induced myocarditis. This is a great example of a study with mostly negative findings which are, however, insightful. However, inflammatory cytokine levels were altered, with elevations in interleukin (IL)-8, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, IL-10, interferon-gamma and IL-1-beta, reflecting innate inflammatory activation. There were no differences in antibody levels (anti-spike, anti-receptor binding protein, immunoglobulin M, IgG, IgA, or anti-Fc), auto-antibodies, or antibodies to common respiratory pathogens. With regard to T-cell responses, there were no major differences in various T-cell subsets (effector, effector memory, spike-specific, interferon-gamma and degranulating). Levels of free spike did not differ between males and females, and remained elevated for weeks in a subset of patients with repeated blood collections. Levels of full-length spike protein (33.9 ± 22.4 pg/mL), unbound by antibodies were markedly elevated in the plasma of individuals with postvaccine myocarditis, whereas no free spike was detected in asymptomatic vaccinated control subjects (unpaired t-test p < 0.0001). Total neutrophil count was higher in patients with myocarditis compared to those without, albeit remaining in the normal range. All patients had elevated cardiac troponin T levels (median 260 ng/L) and C-reactive protein levels (29.75 mg/L). cohort of myocarditis patients consisted of mostly males (n = 13 of 16) who experienced myocarditis after the second dose (n = 12 of 16), within the first week after vaccination (median of 4 days). Hence, there are even more reasons to intervene with the use of anti-oxidant compounds, such as luteolin, in addition to available vaccines and anti-inflammatory drugs to prevent the harmful actions of the spike protein.ĪCE2 antibodies blood vessels blood-brain barrier coronavirus endothelial cells receptor spike protein.Ĭopyright 2021 Biolife Sas. In this regard, it is known that polyphenols are natural anti-oxidants with multiple health effects. In COVID-19, a response to oxidative stress is required by increasing anti-oxidant enzymes. ![]() These findings may be even more relevant to the pathogenesis of long-COVID syndrome that may affect as many as 50% of those infected with SARS-CoV-2. One paper reported that certain antibodies in the blood of infected patients appear to change the shape of the spike protein so as to make it more likely to bind to cells, while other papers showed that the spike protein by itself (without being part of the corona virus) can damage endothelial cells and disrupt the blood-brain barrier. However, recent reports have raised some skepticism as to the biologic actions of the spike protein and the types of antibodies produced. The best well-known vaccines have utilized either mRNA or an adenovirus vector to direct human cells to produce the spike protein against which the body produces mostly neutralizing antibodies. The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated the rapid production of vaccines aimed at the production of neutralizing antibodies against the COVID-19 spike protein required for the corona virus binding to target cells.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |