by A recent study published in the journal Cell sheds light on the intricate mechanisms employed by SARS-CoV-2 and its variants to evade the human immune system. The research, led by a team from the Ragon Institute of Mass General, MIT, and Harvard, offers valuable insights that could pave the way for novel therapeutic approaches against COVID-19.
The international team of scientists, including researchers from the U.S., Brazil, and Germany, focused on the interactions between the virus and the human innate immune system. Their findings suggest that SARS-CoV-2 downregulates critical immune signals, specifically NKG2D ligands, which are essential for activating the immune system, particularly natural killer (NK) cells.
The study reveals that the virus achieves this down regulation through a viral protein called ORF6. The researchers identified that an antibody, 76C, which is currently being tested in preclinical studies for cancer research, can prevent this down regulation and make infected cells more susceptible to NK cells. This discovery could potentially lead to new avenues for the development of therapies against COVID-19. The study also highlights the crucial role of NK cells in combating SARS-CoV-2-infected cells. Despite the virus’ attempts to suppress the immune system, NK cells are able to recognize and eliminate infected cells. These findings suggest that activating the innate immune system could be a promising strategy for treating COVID-19.
Dr. Angelique Hölzemer, head of the research group Infection & Immune Regulation at the Leibniz Institute of Virology and Clinician Scientist in the Division of Infectious diseases at the I. Department of Medicine at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), shares her perspective on the findings: “Our research provides essential insights into the immune defense against SARS-CoV-2 and how we can potentially strengthen it with new therapies.”
By gaining a deeper understanding of how the virus evades the immune system, researchers can explore additional strategies to combat COVID-19 and its variants.
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1. Source: Coherent Market Insights, Public sources, Desk research
2. We have leveraged AI tools to mine information and compile it
