Category Archives: Immunology

Immunology

UGA ranked among top universities fighting COVID-19 – University of Georgia

The university was recognized for research on the development of new vaccines designed to protect against the virus that causes COVID-19

The University of Georgia has been ranked among a list of top 10 schools working to solve the coronavirus pandemic by Successful Student. UGA was recognized specifically for research on the development of new vaccines designed to protect against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

Other universities in the top 10 include Harvard University, the University of Oxford and Johns Hopkins University. Successful Student published their rankings online.

We have an opportunity now to use our technology to help people. And, at the University of Georgia, we have the people, and we have the facilities. We have been able to quickly mobilize resources to develop this vaccine. Biao He

Scientists in laboratories across the university began work on new vaccines and therapeutics from the moment COVID-19 emerged as a global threat.

Biao He, the Fred C. Davison Distinguished University Chair in Veterinary Medicine at UGA, has developed a COVID-19 vaccine candidate that has proven successful in promoting an immune response in early test models.

His vaccine is based on a viral delivery platform containing modified strains of a virus that cause kennel cough in dogs called parainfluenza virus 5, or PIV5. The modified viruses produce proteins found in coronaviruses, specifically the spike proteins that form the crown or corona for which they are named. After the vaccine has been administered, cells are infected with the PIV5 virus. The body then begins to mount a defense to the spike proteins produced by the modified virusultimately promoting an immunity to infection.

We have an opportunity now to use our technology to help people, he said. And, at the University of Georgia, we have the people, and we have the facilities. We have been able to quickly mobilize resources to develop this vaccine.

He hopes that the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine will be ready for FDA approval by the end of the year.

Ted Ross, Georgia Research Alliance Eminent Scholar and director of UGAs Center for Vaccines and Immunology. (Photo by Peter Frey/UGA)

Scientists in the lab of Ted M. Ross, Georgia Research Alliance Eminent Scholar and director of UGAs Center for Vaccines and Immunology, are also developing and testing new vaccines and immunotherapies to fight the coronavirus. Ross is working with other researchers in the center to analyze the viral genome and find targets that will prompt the immune system to create protective antibodies.

Ross has spent most of his career studying viruses and developing new vaccines and treatments to combat them, but he is perhaps best known for his efforts to develop a universal influenza vaccine that could protect against all forms of the virus and eliminate the need for seasonal flu shots.

While the lessons learned from his work on influenza and other viruses will inform his work, the coronavirus presents a unique set of challenges.

Most people already have some immunity to influenza, but nobody has immunity to this coronavirus, which is one reason it has spread so quickly, Ross said. The scientific community is hard at work, but theres still so much we dont know about this virus, and it will take time to gather quality data.

The virus that causes COVID-19 is studded on its exterior with spike proteins, a key component in its ability to infect human cells. Rob Woods and Parastoo Azadi, both researchers in UGAs Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, are investigating the proteins and sugars on the surface of the virus with the goal of finding information that could lead to vaccines and therapeutics.

Rob Woods and Parastoo Azadi are investigating the proteins and sugars on the surface of the COVID-19 virus with the goal of finding information that could lead to vaccines and therapeutics. (Submitted photo.)

SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins latch onto cells and force the virus through the cell membrane. The human immune system detects foreign proteins, like the spike protein, by recognizing amino acid sequences that are present, Woods said.

But if a pathogen puts a sugar on the proteins surface, it can mask the amino acids, he said. One sugar can mask a whole cluster of amino acids so our antibodies cant see them. Many viruses do thisinfluenza and hepatitis C, for example.

The protein is a smooth surface shielded by sugars that move like trees in the wind. That makes it harder for the human immune system to find the targetthe proteins surface.

I always use the analogy of glycans as trees in the wind. Some of them are floppy, and some of them are more stiff, Woods said. Were looking for ones that we can get under or around.

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UGA ranked among top universities fighting COVID-19 - University of Georgia

Immunology

Cell Separation Technologies Market Research Report by Technology, by Application, by End User – Global Forecast to 2025 – Cumulative Impact of…

New York, Aug. 13, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Cell Separation Technologies Market Research Report by Technology, by Application, by End User - Global Forecast to 2025 - Cumulative Impact of COVID-19" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p05913778/?utm_source=GNW

The Global Cell Separation Technologies Market is expected to grow from USD 5,347.52 Million in 2019 to USD 12,724.42 Million by the end of 2025 at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 15.54%.

Market Segmentation & Coverage:This research report categorizes the Cell Separation Technologies to forecast the revenues and analyze the trends in each of the following sub-markets:

Based on Technology, the Cell Separation Technologies Market studied across Fluorescence-activated Cell Sorting, Immunomagnetic Cell Separation, and Microfluidic Cell Separation.

Based on Application, the Cell Separation Technologies Market studied across Cancer Research, Immunology, and Stem Cell Research.

Based on End User, the Cell Separation Technologies Market studied across Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Companies and Hospitals and Diagnostic Laboratories.

Based on Geography, the Cell Separation Technologies Market studied across Americas, Asia-Pacific, and Europe, Middle East & Africa. The Americas region surveyed across Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, and United States. The Asia-Pacific region surveyed across Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, South Korea, and Thailand. The Europe, Middle East & Africa region surveyed across France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain, United Arab Emirates, and United Kingdom.

Company Usability Profiles:The report deeply explores the recent significant developments by the leading vendors and innovation profiles in the Global Cell Separation Technologies Market including BD Biosciences, Life Technologies Corporation, Merck Millipore, Miltenyi Biotec GmbH, STEMCELL Technologies, Inc., and Terumo BCT, Inc..

FPNV Positioning Matrix:The FPNV Positioning Matrix evaluates and categorizes the vendors in the Cell Separation Technologies Market on the basis of Business Strategy (Business Growth, Industry Coverage, Financial Viability, and Channel Support) and Product Satisfaction (Value for Money, Ease of Use, Product Features, and Customer Support) that aids businesses in better decision making and understanding the competitive landscape.

Competitive Strategic Window:The Competitive Strategic Window analyses the competitive landscape in terms of markets, applications, and geographies. The Competitive Strategic Window helps the vendor define an alignment or fit between their capabilities and opportunities for future growth prospects. During a forecast period, it defines the optimal or favorable fit for the vendors to adopt successive merger and acquisition strategies, geography expansion, research & development, and new product introduction strategies to execute further business expansion and growth.

Cumulative Impact of COVID-19:COVID-19 is an incomparable global public health emergency that has affected almost every industry, so for and, the long-term effects projected to impact the industry growth during the forecast period. Our ongoing research amplifies our research framework to ensure the inclusion of underlaying COVID-19 issues and potential paths forward. The report is delivering insights on COVID-19 considering the changes in consumer behavior and demand, purchasing patterns, re-routing of the supply chain, dynamics of current market forces, and the significant interventions of governments. The updated study provides insights, analysis, estimations, and forecast, considering the COVID-19 impact on the market.

The report provides insights on the following pointers:1. Market Penetration: Provides comprehensive information on the market offered by the key players2. Market Development: Provides in-depth information about lucrative emerging markets and analyzes the markets3. Market Diversification: Provides detailed information about new product launches, untapped geographies, recent developments, and investments4. Competitive Assessment & Intelligence: Provides an exhaustive assessment of market shares, strategies, products, and manufacturing capabilities of the leading players5. Product Development & Innovation: Provides intelligent insights on future technologies, R&D activities, and new product developments

The report answers questions such as:1. What is the market size and forecast of the Global Cell Separation Technologies Market?2. What are the inhibiting factors and impact of COVID-19 shaping the Global Cell Separation Technologies Market during the forecast period?3. Which are the products/segments/applications/areas to invest in over the forecast period in the Global Cell Separation Technologies Market?4. What is the competitive strategic window for opportunities in the Global Cell Separation Technologies Market?5. What are the technology trends and regulatory frameworks in the Global Cell Separation Technologies Market?6. What are the modes and strategic moves considered suitable for entering the Global Cell Separation Technologies Market?Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05913778/?utm_source=GNW

About ReportlinkerReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place.

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Immunology

Editorial Article: From cannabis to COVID: Discover the power of RNA in situ hybridization – SelectScience

Dr. Jeremy Hirota takes us through the technology behind his translational research program for respiratory health

In this expert interview, we hear from Dr. Jeremy Hirota about his work in the Hirota Lab at McMaster University and how he is working to develop an internationally recognized translational research program for respiratory health, focusing on lung health and disease.

The Hirota lab uses a research strategy involving in vitro cell culture models, in vivo pre-clinical models, and clinical studies. The research of the lab is guided by three mutually reinforcing foci, Hirota explains, patient-oriented research on respiratory mucosal immunology in health and disease; small molecule drug discovery programs for commercialization opportunities; and pure basic science characterization of the biology behind innate immune receptor and related signaling pathways.

The Hirota Lab has published an impressive volume of peer-reviewed research relating to precision medicine, cell transporters, cannabis, tissue engineering, and most recently COVID-19. An invaluable tool throughout its work has been the RNAscope technology from Advanced Cell Diagnostics, which has been used for research into a variety of biomarkers. This RNA in situ hybridization multiplexing technology has enabled the profiling and identification of various cell transporters and receptors in human lung tissue. A single cell can be identified via a specific marker in one channel, whilst concurrently looking for the co-expression of other target molecules in the other available channels. This molecular approach complements traditional pathology that uses serial sections of H&E (hematoxylin and eosin) histological stains for tissue morphology assessment and cell identification, followed by staining for molecules of interest.

We have used RNAscope to confirm the in situ presence of gene transcripts for our molecules of interest, Hirota explains. However, we are only just beginning to realize the potential of this technology and hope to leverage this further in the future.

The Hirota lab has used this approach to provide evidence for the expression of cannabinoid receptors 1 and 2 in human airway epithelial cells at the gene level, and, due to the teams experience working with airway epithelial cells and lung immunology, it has applied these learnings to help tackle SARS-CoV-2. With access to COVID-19 autopsy lung tissue samples, the lab is now assessing candidate SARS-CoV-2 receptors to identify respiratory mucosal immune responses that are predictive of negative SARS-CoV-2 infection outcomes. Regarding this current work, Hirota shares that: It appears that the SARS-CoV-2 virus is present in areas of lung tissue that do not express the proposed receptor, ACE-2. This suggests that alternate receptors for the virus, or other mechanisms for virus entry, exist. The lab is currently working to confirm and subsequently publish this work.

Hirota explains how due to the ongoing pandemic his team has needed to find new ways to work collaboratively, around the clock, and ensure that it is following the recommendations designed to limit the spread of SARS-CoV-2, whilst pushing forward COVID-19 research that aims to help patients, healthcare systems, and governing bodies. The current environment is constraining, says Hirota. We are following social distancing policies in the workplace and currently have limited numbers of staff in the labs.

Looking to the future, Hirota sees several opportunities for exciting advances in precision medicine treatments and diagnostics, including the merging of molecular technologies, well-phenotyped patient samples, and improved informatics technologies. We hope to be at the forefront of this work, Hirota concludes, working with academic and industry partners to leverage respective strengths and ensure that our research makes it to market to improve health and wellbeing on a global scale.

Find out more about RNA ISH capabilities with these expert interviews and resources:

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Editorial Article: From cannabis to COVID: Discover the power of RNA in situ hybridization - SelectScience

Immunology

Saag named division director of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology – UAB News

A long time UAB rheumatologist has been named director of division in the UAB School of Medicine.

Kenneth G. Saag, M.D., MScKenneth G. Saag, M.D., MSc, has been named director of the Division of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He is the Jane Knight Lowe Professor and also serves as vice chair of Outcomes and Effectiveness Research in UABs Department of Medicine.

Saag has been a practicing physician with UAB Medicine and researcher in the UAB School of Medicine for 23 years, with particular expertise in osteoporosis, gout, and outcomes research.

Im humbled to serve our division as director and to continue to build upon the reputation of patient-centered care, academic prowess and national leadership in the field that UAB Rheumatology is known for, Saag said. I have ambitious plans to grow our faculty and fellowship program, expand our clinical services, and enhance both clinical and fundamental scientific research in rheumatology and immunology. Im excited for what is to come for our faculty and patients alike.

He succeeds former division director S. Louis Bridges Jr., M.D., Ph.D., effective July 1, 2020.

Saag will begin serving as president-elect of the American College of Rheumatology this fall and he is past-president of the National Osteoporosis Foundation. He has served UAB as director of the Center for Outcomes, Effectiveness Research and Education (COERE) since 2009, and directs the Center of Research Translation (CoRT) in Gout and Hyperuricemia, a program supported by the NIH for nearly a decade. He also serves as Vice Chair for Outcomes and Effectiveness Research in the Department.

UABs Rheumatology program was just ranked 10 in the nation by U.S. News and World Report.

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Saag named division director of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology - UAB News

Immunology

Neutrophils key to mounting effective immune response when receiving pneumonia vaccine, preclinical study shows – UB Now: News and views for UB…

UB scientists exploring the nature of immunity after vaccination against Streptococcus pneumoniae, which causes pneumonia in people, have discovered that a specific type of white blood cell called neutrophils plays a more critical role than was previously known.

The research is especially relevant for the elderly because immunity declines with age.

Researchers at the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at UB have found that in order to generate a protective response when vaccinated against Streptococcus pneumoniae, an individual must have a sufficient level of neutrophils.

The preclinical study is important because it is the first to use Prevnar-13, one of two pneumonia vaccines on the market, instead of a model antigen to study the nature of the immune response triggered by the vaccine.

The idea behind our research is ultimately to make a better pneumonia vaccine, says Elsa Bou Ghanem, assistant professor of microbiology and immunology in the Jacobs School and senior corresponding author on the paper, published in May in the Journal of Infectious Diseases.

While B cells are a key factor in the immune response because they produce antibodies that fight viruses and pathogens, Bou Ghanem says the new findings about neutrophils could be relevant to potential improvements in developing vaccines against S. pneumoniae.

Now we have to think about the other immune cells in the mix as well, she says. Now we understand that its a little more complicated.

Bou Ghanem describes neutrophils as the first defenders, noting that whenever any foreign object appears in the lungs, neutrophils are the first infection-fighting cells to appear.

That fact has long been known about neutrophils, also known as polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs). They play key roles in the bodys rapid response to bacterial infection, known as the innate response.

But the UB researchers found that they also play a role in generating the adaptive response, the immune systems slower, more customized response to a specific infection.

We have learned now that neutrophils orchestrate the whole immune response, both innate and adaptive, says Essi Tchalla, first author on the paper and a doctoral student in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology in the Jacobs School.

They made the discovery while studying how two groups of mice responded after being vaccinated with the polysaccharide conjugate vaccine: One group was normal and one group had had its neutrophils significantly depleted.

When exposed to S. pneumoniae a month after vaccination, all of the mice with normal neutrophil levels were able to mount a strong immune response and all of them survived, with only 12.5% of them showing any symptoms.

But in the group that had been depleted of neutrophils at the time of vaccination, nearly 80% became severely ill and more than half of the mice did not survive. These mice exhibited between 10 and 100 times more bacteria in their lungs than was seen in the normal controls.

The researchers report it was the lack of neutrophils at the time when mice were vaccinated, not at the time of exposure to the bacteria, that caused them to suffer the worst outcomes. The neutrophils were required for the production of protective antibodies against S. pneumoniae following vaccination.

Now we want to figure out what is the contribution of neutrophils in regulating this vaccine response, Tchalla says.

She explains the team is looking at interferon gamma, which is involved in the innate immune response, and the possibility that neutrophils can produce interferon gamma, which in turn helps B cells to produce better antibodies against pathogens.

The long-range goal for Bou Ghanem and Tchalla is to investigate how the reduction in the efficacy of neutrophils in the elderly affects their ability to mount an immune response to S. pneumoniae when vaccinated.

One of their projects, currently on hold because of the pandemic, involves studying neutrophils provided by donors recruited through UBs Clinical and Translational Research Institute, a collaboration with Sanjay Sethi, professor and chief of the Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine in the Jacobs School.

The findings may also be relevant to understanding the ability of elderly patients to generate an adequate immune response when vaccinated against other pathogens, including COVID-19, the UB researchers say.

The research was funded by the National Institutes of Health. Bou Ghanem has received additional NIH funding to study the factors that make the elderly susceptible to S. pneumoniae, and how to make vaccines more effective in elderly populations, in collaboration with Blaine Pfeifer, professor in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences.

In addition to Bou Ghanem and Tchalla, co-authors are Manmeet Bhalla, postdoctoral associate in Bou Ghanems lab, and Elizabeth A. Wohlfert, assistant professor in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology.

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Neutrophils key to mounting effective immune response when receiving pneumonia vaccine, preclinical study shows - UB Now: News and views for UB...

Immunology

ImmunoScape Targets Immunology Breakthroughs for COVID-19 and Oncology with $11M in Global Financing Led by Anzu Partners and UTEC – BioSpace

SINGAPORE and SAN DIEGO, Aug. 12, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --immunoSCAPE (www.ImmunoScape.com), a biotech firm enabling unprecedented insights into the human immune system, today announced that it has raised USD $11 million (SGD $14.8 million) in a global equity financing round. US-based venture firm Anzu Partners led the round, joined by University of Tokyo Edge Capital (UTEC) in Japan, and NPR Holdings in Indonesia.

ImmunoScape's immune profiling platform, which provides deep insights into the T-cells of the human immune system, is already intensely engaged in COVID-19 related programs on three continents.

"There is an urgent need to understand how the T-cell immune response contributes to COVID-19 immunity and can be leveraged for vaccine design," said ImmunoScape co-founder and Chief Operating Officer Dr. Alessandra Nardin. "In global collaborations with Massachusetts General Hospital, University of Parma (Italy), and Duke-NUS, we are evaluating COVID-19 patients and recovered individuals. We are building a large data set on human T-cell response to COVID-19, in an effort to develop new therapies and better vaccines with our partners."

ImmunoScape also has established collaborations with several vaccine development companies, including the San Diego-based Arcturus which is running clinical trials in Singapore.

"As a Singapore-based firm supported by the Agency for Science Technology and Research (A*STAR), our team has deep experience assessing T-cell immune response to dengue, hepatitis B, and other viruses. It was clear that we must provide deep support to COVID-19 vaccine development in this global crisis," said ImmunoScape co-founder and CEO Choon Peng Ng, formerly a senior executive at A*STAR.

The company also aspires to continue its core mission of enabling advanced immunotherapies for cancer, an area where its scientific track record is very strong. "In 2019 we co-authored a paper together with collaborators at Genentech illustrating the role of our technology in evaluating checkpoint blockade immunotherapies," said Dr. Nardin. "The interest in those insights attracted global attention and encouraged us to seek financing to expand further into the US market."

"To deliver on the promise of individualized medicine for cancer, the biopharma industry desperately needs more insight into every patient's unique immune system. ImmunoScape can deliver this, and we are delighted to support them," said David Michael, Managing Partner of Anzu Partners.

ImmunoScape's technology can guide the development of immunotherapies, as the company has shown in major scientific journals," said Dr. Naonori Kurokawa, Partner of UTEC. "Now they are bringing these insights and capabilities to major biopharma clients globally."

ImmunoScape's technology was based on work begun at Stanford University, and continued at A*STAR of Singapore, where the company was established in 2017. ImmunoScape has received support from A*STAR and its commercialization arm A*ccelerate, as well as Enterprise Singapore. Technical founder Dr. Evan Newell, PhD, previously an A*STAR Science Fellow, is now based at Seattle's Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.

For more information, please visit: https://ImmunoScape.com

About ImmunoScapeImmunoScape specializes in deep profiling of immune cells and identification of antigen specific T cells, based on the high dimensional mass spectrometry methods developed by Dr. Evan Newell, the company's co-founder. ImmunoScape enables pharmaceutical and biotechnologies companies to gain valuable insights from clinical trial patient data and to develop more effective immunotherapies. For more information, please visit https://ImmunoScape.com.

About ANZU PartnersAnzu Partners is an investment firm that funds breakthrough industrial and life sciences technologies. Anzu teams with entrepreneurs to develop and commercialize technological innovations by providing capital and deep expertise in business development, market positioning, global connectivity, and operations. For more information, please visit https://anzupartners.com. On Twitter: @anzupartners.

About UTECUTEC is a seed/early stage technology focused venture capital firm associated with academic institutes such as The University of Tokyo. UTEC supports the creation and growth of start-ups that vigorously foster business globally through the use of superior science and technology, collaborating with universities, research institutes and investment partners in and out of Japan. For more information, please visit https://www.ut-ec.co.jp/english/.

CONTACTRob Haralson for ImmunoScape+12026746679, rhh@anzupartners.cominfo@immunoscape.com

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ImmunoScape Targets Immunology Breakthroughs for COVID-19 and Oncology with $11M in Global Financing Led by Anzu Partners and UTEC - BioSpace

Immunology

Coronavirus: does the common cold protect you from COVID? – The Conversation UK

An article in Science recently generated a lot of interest by providing a possible explanation of why COVID-19 can be deadly to some yet go virtually unnoticed in others.

Scientists at La Jolla Institute for Immunology in California showed that infection with common cold coronaviruses can generate an immune response that resembles key pieces of the immune response generated by SARS-CoV-2 the virus that causes COVID-19. This raises the possibility that previous infection with one of the milder coronaviruses could make COVID-19 less severe. But how likely is this? And how does this relate to what we already know about coronaviruses?

A few weeks ago, a different article sat at the centre of the SARS-CoV-2 immunity debate. This one showed that the antibody response to SARS-CoV-2 may decline over time.

The findings raised concern that SARS-CoV-2 could infect a person many times and that a vaccine might not generate lasting protection. But the article focused on just one arm of the immune response, the B cells, which produce antibodies that help to clear an infection.

T cells are also key to the immune response against viruses. They play a variety of roles, among them helping B cells to mature into disease-fighting machines. The article by Jose Mateus and colleagues at La Jolla Institute for Immunology is important because it shows that people keep T cells from the milder coronaviruses long enough to potentially interact with a new challenge by SARS-CoV-2 and that those T cells might even recognise SARS-CoV-2 and help to clear the infection.

For epidemiologists, the evidence of waning immunity and cross-immunity didnt come as a surprise. A study from 1990 showed that soldiers infected with one of the milder coronaviruses didnt retain immunity for much longer than a year. Also, the boom-bust cycle that the milder coronaviruses undergo from year to year can be explained by a mix of waning immunity and cross-immunity.

The milder coronaviruses can generate similar antibodies to the ones that are generated by the coronaviruses that cause Sars and Mers. These antibodies are so similar that they nearly tricked a British Columbia care facility into thinking they had an outbreak of Sars after the Sars epidemic had been declared over. In fact, the outbreak was caused by OC43, one of the coronaviruses that causes the common cold.

Nevertheless, infections that generate structurally similar antibodies dont necessarily provide cross-protection in a medically meaningful way.

Evidence for cross-protection between all but the most closely related coronaviruses is scant.

It is difficult to say whether the milder coronaviruses protect against SARS-CoV-2 partly because we have done so little surveillance on them. Ideally, we would be able to look at historical data to identify which communities experienced major outbreaks of each milder coronavirus strain over the past few years and then see if there is a link with less severe COVID-19 cases.

Challenge studies, in which a person is intentionally infected with a milder coronavirus strain and then exposed to SARS-CoV-2, could also address the question but are dangerous and ethically fraught. For now, all we can say is that the possibility that the common coronaviruses might protect against SARS-CoV-2 remains just that a possibility. Indeed, Mateus and colleagues describe this theory as highly speculative.

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Coronavirus: does the common cold protect you from COVID? - The Conversation UK

Immunology

Why are some people protected from Covid-19 without having contracted the disease? – EL PAS in English

After months of uncertainty and grim headlines, some scientists are hesitantly recognizing what could be good news. During the first weeks of the Covid-19 pandemic, it was estimated that around 60% of the population would need to be exposed to the coronavirus to achieve herd immunity, which occurs when a high percentage of the community is immune to a disease.

A large-scale antibody study in Spain found that around 5% of the population had contracted the coronavirus, with significant differences between the regions in the Soria province, the figure was more than 14%, compared to 1.2% in Cdiz. The hope of achieving herd immunity seemed like a long shot. But as time passed, a growing amount of research began to suggest that more people are protected against the coronavirus, or at least its most serious versions, than the antibody studies indicated. Experts, however, do not want this news to be used as an excuse for the relaxation of coronavirus safety measures.

When there is an infection from a virus of the same family there could be a cross-reaction and the immune system could develop antibodies similar to the ones that neutralized the other virus

We have been living with coronaviruses for a very long time. Most of them cause minor respiratory problems [like the common cold], while others are more serious, like SARS and MERS, explains Juan Pablo Horcajada, the head of infectious diseases at the Mar Hospital in Barcelona. Four viruses in the coronavirus family cause around 25% of colds, and it is well known that when there is an infection from a virus of the same family there could be a cross-reaction and the immune system could develop antibodies similar to the ones that neutralized the other virus, he explains. What we dont know yet is if these antibodies can offer protection and if so, to what extent.

A study recently published in the journal Science estimated that at least 20% or perhaps up to 50% of people who have never contracted SARS-CoV-2 have some kind of cellular protection against the disease. It is likely this has been generated by previous contact with one of the coronaviruses that cause colds. The research, however, has been done on cell samples and the hypothesis still needs to be tested out in real situations and on real people. For now, the authors of the study, researchers from La Jolla Institute for Immunology in the United States, acknowledge that it is very speculative to link the better prognosis of some Covid-19 patients with their previous exposure to the coronaviruses that cause the common cold.

Similar research from other groups has found the presence of protective T cells, the white blood cells that destroy infected cells in the body, in between 40% and 81% of samples. This would explain the behavior of the pandemic in the last few weeks, says Manel Juan, the head of immunology at Clnic hospital in Barcelona. Although there is concern about the rise in cases, we are not seeing a repeat of the situation in March [when there were hundreds of daily deaths and hospitalizations] and this could be because a greater percentage of people are protected than is reflected in the antibody tests.

According to one study, up to 50% of people who have never contracted SARS-CoV-2 have some kind of cellular protection against the disease

Luisa Villar, the head of immunology at the Ramn y Cajal hospital in Madrid, says that more infections would have been expected, given that only 11% of people in the Madrid region have had the coronavirus, according to the serological study.

According to Villar, the response of T cells, developed by contact with similar viruses or a persons very immune system, could also explain the heterogeneous impact of the disease. In young people, T cells are more active, but this response starts to decline from the age of 70, she says. Thats why young people may have a minor case or even be asymptomatic, while seniors have much more serious symptoms.

One of the reasons why coronaviruses can cause colds is that they share a viral spicule protein that is used to colonize host cells. The laboratories working on a vaccine for Covid-19 see this spicule as the key to developing an immunological response.

While the research may explain why young people have less serious cases of Covid-19, it does not explain the gap in the contagion rates between Spains 17 regions. I would have thought that there would have been more protection in the north of Spain, because you would think there would be more colds there, but thats not what we are seeing, says Juan.

In young people, T cells are more active, but this response starts to decline from the age of 70

Jess Rodrguez Bao, the head of infectious disease at the Virgen Macarena hospital in Seville, also backs the hypothesis that people have more immunity to Covid-19 because they have been in contact with similar diseases, but says there still needs to be epidemiological confirmation of the data. Its a similar situation with the flu. There is a certain degree of immunity after contracting a virus like the flu, he explains, adding that given the virus has led to a global pandemic its unlikely that the immunity is widespread.

A better understanding of the immunity of a population could shed light on the mysteries that remain about why Covid-19 affects people so differently. But measuring real immunity, beyond the presence of antibodies, requires tests that are expensive and difficult to carry out. In Barcelona, Manel Juan is leading a European project to develop an easier and faster test for determining who has immunity from T cells. This information could be used to help find out who is protected and to what extent, and also help design new vaccines, which help the body to generate a more efficient reaction against the coronavirus. For the moment, however, the good news that people who have never had contact with the virus can be protected needs confirmation via research.

English version by Melissa Kitson.

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Why are some people protected from Covid-19 without having contracted the disease? - EL PAS in English

Immunology

Tevogen Bio Announces Partnership With Preeminent Scientist Professor Neal Flomenberg, MD, to Investigate Proprietary T-Cell Therapy for Treatment of…

METUCHEN, N.J., Aug. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --Tevogen Bio announces a joint partnership with renowned bone-marrow transplant expertNeal Flomenberg, M.D., Professor and Chair of the Department of Medical Oncology at Thomas Jefferson University, with the intent to evaluate Tevogen' s proprietary antigen-specific T cell technology as a potential treatment for COVID-19 and influenza-A patients.

This collaboration aims to harness Tevogen's proprietary immunotherapy platform and Dr. Flomenberg's expertise and research prowess to investigate potential treatments for viral infections.

Dr. Flomenberg has been at the forefront of immunogenetics and immunology for more than four decades. "Tevogen's technology resonated with me as there have been several groups who have used T cells to treat patients after bone-marrow transplants. The idea of utilizing T cell therapies to potentially treat COVID-19 and other viruses is truly remarkable," Flomenberg said. "I'm enthusiastic about moving forward with an investigation of Tevogen's technologies."

Tevogen CEO Ryan Saadi, M.D., M.P.H., is leading the new biotech's efforts. "Our work has been to pioneer T cell therapies that can be abundantly and efficiently reproduced to develop an affordable and scalable cellular treatment for the biggest global health threats, including COVID-19, influenza, and a variety of cancers. We are very excited about Dr. Flomenberg's contribution to our efforts and hope to initiate our investigational study soon."

In addition to developing its potential therapies, Tevogen is committed to organizational and manufacturing efficiency. This should allow it to engage in affordable innovation to the benefit of all patients.

About Tevogen Bio

Tevogen Bio was formed after decades of research by its contributors to concentrate and leverage their expertise, spanning multiple sectors of the health care industry, to help address some of the most common and deadly illnesses known today. The company's mission is to provide curative and preventative treatments that are affordable and scalablein order to positively impact global public health.

About Dr. Neal Flomenberg

Dr. Neal Flomenberg is the Chairman of Medical Oncology at Jefferson University in Philadelphia and also heads the Hematologic Malignancies, Blood and Marrow Transplantation (BMT) Program. Throughout his more than four decades of practice, he has maintained a longstanding interest in the immunogenetics and immunology of stem cell transplantation, with the goal of making transplantation safer and more widely available. Dr. Flomenberg developed an approach to bone-marrow transplants that uses half-matched relatives as donors, a breakthrough that assures that the majority of blood and bone-marrow cancer patients can benefit from this potentially curative treatment.

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Tevogen Bio Announces Partnership With Preeminent Scientist Professor Neal Flomenberg, MD, to Investigate Proprietary T-Cell Therapy for Treatment of...

Immunology

Neutrophils are key to mounting an effective immune response when receiving a pneumonia vaccine – UB News Center

BUFFALO, N.Y. University at Buffalo scientists exploring the nature of immunity after vaccination against Streptococcus pneumoniae, which causes pneumonia in people, have discovered that a specific type of white blood cell called neutrophils plays a more critical role than was previously known.

The research is especially relevant for the elderly because immunity declines with age.

Researchers at the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at UB have found that in order to generate a protective response when vaccinated against Streptococcus pneumoniae, an individual must have a sufficient level of neutrophils.

The preclinical study is important because it is the first to use Prevnar-13, one of two pneumonia vaccines on the market, instead of a model antigen to study the nature of the immune response triggered by the vaccine.

Better vaccines

The idea behind our research is ultimately to make a better pneumonia vaccine, said Elsa Bou Ghanem, PhD, assistant professor of microbiology and immunology in the Jacobs School and senior corresponding author on the paper, published in the Journal of Infectious Diseases in May.

While B cells are a key factor in the immune response because they produce antibodies that fight viruses and pathogens, Bou Ghanem said the new findings about neutrophils could be relevant to potential improvements in developing vaccines against S. pneumoniae.

Now we have to think about the other immune cells in the mix as well, she said. Now we understand that its a little more complicated.

Bou Ghanem described neutrophils as the first defenders, noting that whenever any foreign object appears in the lungs, neutrophils are the first infection-fighting cells to appear.

That fact has long been known about neutrophils, also known as polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs). They play key roles in the bodys rapid response to bacterial infection, known as the innate response.

But the UB researchers found that they also play a role in generating the adaptive response, the immune systems slower, more customized response to a specific infection.

Orchestrating the whole immune response

We have learned now that neutrophils orchestrate the whole immune response, both innate and adaptive, said Essi Tchalla, first author on the paper and a doctoral student in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology in the Jacobs School.

They made the discovery while studying how two groups of mice responded after being vaccinated with the polysaccharide conjugate vaccine: One group was normal and one group had had its neutrophils significantly depleted.

When exposed to S. pneumoniae a month after vaccination, all of the mice with normal neutrophil levels were able to mount a strong immune response and all of them survived, with only 12.5% of them showing any symptoms.

But in the group that had been depleted of neutrophils at the time of vaccination, nearly 80% became severely ill and more than half of the mice did not survive. These mice exhibited between 10 and 100 times more bacteria in their lungs than was seen in the normal controls.

The researchers report it was the lack of neutrophils at the time when mice were vaccinated, not at the time of exposure to the bacteria, that caused them to suffer the worst outcomes. The neutrophils were required for the production of protective antibodies against S. pneumoniae following vaccination.

Now we want to figure out what is the contribution of neutrophils in regulating this vaccine response, said Tchalla.

She said the team is looking at interferon gamma, which is involved in the innate immune response, and the possibility that neutrophils can produce interferon gamma, which in turn helps B cells to produce better antibodies against pathogens.

The long-range goal for Bou Ghanem and Tchalla is to investigate how the reduction in the efficacy of neutrophils in the elderly affects their ability to mount an immune response to S. pneumoniae when vaccinated.

One of their projects, currently on hold because of the pandemic, involves studying neutrophils provided by donors recruited through UBs Clinical and Translational Research Institute, a collaboration with Sanjay Sethi, MD, professor and chief of the Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine in the Jacobs School.

The findings may also be relevant to understanding the ability of elderly patients to generate an adequate immune response when vaccinated against other pathogens, including COVID-19, the UB researchers said.

The research was funded by the National Institutes of Health. Bou Ghanem has received additional NIH funding to study the factors that make the elderly susceptible to S. pneumoniae, and how to make vaccines more effective in elderly populations, in collaboration with Blaine Pfeifer, PhD, professor in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering in the UB School of Engineering and Applied Sciences.

In addition to Bou Ghanem and Tchalla, co-authors are Manmeet Bhalla, PhD, postdoctoral associate in Bou Ghanems lab, and Elizabeth A. Wohlfert, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology in the Jacobs School.

Originally posted here:
Neutrophils are key to mounting an effective immune response when receiving a pneumonia vaccine - UB News Center