A scientific team has discovered new immune responses that help explain how some people can avoid contracting and developing COVID-19 despite being exposed to the coronavirus. Researchers from the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, University College London (UCL), and Imperial College London used single-cell sequencing to study immune responses against SARS-CoV-2 infection in healthy adult volunteers. The findings, published in Nature, offer a comprehensive timeline of how the body responds to exposure to SARS-CoV-2 or any infectious disease.
Not all exposed participants developed a COVID-19 infection, which allowed the team to identify unique immune responses associated with resistance to viral infections and diseases. Through single-cell sequencing, the researchers generated a dataset of over 600,000 individual cells and discovered unique immune responses involved in immediate virus detection. Individuals who cleared the virus immediately displayed subtle innate immune responses not seen before.
The study also identified patterns in activated T cell receptors, offering insights into immune cell communication and the potential for T-cell targeted therapies against COVID-19 and other diseases. The researchers noted that understanding these immune responses could lead to the development of treatments and vaccines that mimic natural protective responses. As the Human Cell Atlas continues to be built, researchers hope to identify essential cells for fighting infections and understand why different individuals respond to the coronavirus in various ways.
Researchers at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, University College London (UCL), and Imperial College London have uncovered new immune responses that may help explain how some people can avoid contracting COVID-19 despite being exposed to the coronavirus. Using single-cell sequencing, they studied immune responses against SARS-CoV-2 infection in healthy adult volunteers.
The study found that while not all exposed participants developed COVID-19 infection, those who did exhibited different immune responses than those who cleared it immediately. Through their research, they discovered unique immune responses involved in immediate virus detection that helped individuals clear it quickly.
Furthermore, they identified a gene called HLA-DQA2 that may have helped some individuals prevent prolonged infection. Those who developed a sustained SARS-CoV-2 infection exhibited different immune responses in blood and nose samples, allowing the virus to establish itself.
The study also identified patterns in activated T cell receptors, providing insights into immune cell communication and potential T cell targeted therapies against COVID
