Researchers at La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) have found that T cells from people who have recovered from COVID-19 or received the Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines are still able to recognize several concerning SARS-CoV-2 variants.
Their new study, published online on July 1, 2021 in Cell Reports Medicine, shows that both CD4+ “helper” T cells and CD8+ “killer” T cells can still recognize mutated forms of the virus. This reactivity is key to the body’s complex immune response to the virus, which allows the body to kill infected cells and stop severe infections.
“This study suggests that the impact of mutations found in the variants of concern is limited,” says LJI Professor Alessandro Sette, Dr.Bio.Sci., study senior author and member of the LJI Center for Infectious Disease and Vaccine Research. “We can presume that T cells would still be available as a line of defense against viral infection.”
The researchers emphasize that the study only addresses how the body’s T cells respond to Variants of Concern (VOCs). The researchers emphasize that several of these variants, are linked to lower levels of virus-fighting antibodies.
I have thought that B&T cells are more important than those antibodies generated by the vaccine, for quite a while now. Certainly the antibodies made by the B cells from instructions provide by the helper T cells are more efficacious. Plus the Natural Killer T cells make for a formidable defence mechanism. Unfortunately it is very much harder for T cell detection and research, which is why you only hear so much about antibodies in the media, who only parrot each other anyway.
The helper T cells instructing the B cells to produce these enhanced antibodies (there is more than the one type of antibody), this does take a finite amount of time. This explains why you can still get infected but after incubation only have mild symptoms. Along with the Natural Killer T cells killing off infected cells to prevent the virus from replicating, gaining ground. So the infection does not last as long, reduces the viral load and shedding that goes on to infect others.
One day, as research and detection improves, along with relevant media education, the media will concentrate on these B & T lymphocytes rather than vaccine generated antibodies, of just the one type.
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
