A research team at the University of Basel has discovered immune cells resident in the lungs that persist long after a bout of flu. Experiments with mice have shown that these helper cells improve the immune response to reinfection by a different strain of the flu virus. The discovery could yield approaches to developing longer-lasting vaccinations against quickly-mutating viruses.
At the start of the coronavirus pandemic, some already began to raise the question of how long immunity lasts after weathering SARS-CoV-2. The same question has now arisen regarding the COVID-19 vaccination. A key role is played by immunological memory—a complex interplay of immune cells, antibodies and signaling substances that allows the body to fight off known pathogens very efficiently.
Researchers led by Professor Carolyn King from the University of Basel's Department of Biomedicine have now identified a diverse group of immune cells in the lungs that are key to the defense against reinfection by flu viruses. The same could be true of reinfection by other pathogens that cause respiratory diseases.
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Science Magazine, Immunology. Research Paper:
