Virginia Tech’s Post

T cells are a type of white blood cell that identify and destroy harmful pathogens within our bodies. These cells learn from past encounters with pathogens and diseases, but until recently, it wasn’t clear exactly how and when these “memories” form throughout an infection. Recent research from University of Washington Bioengineering graduate students and National Science Foundation (NSF) graduate fellows in the Kueh Lab, Kathleen Abadie and Elisa Clark, may help shed some light. Using live-cell imaging, they observed memory formation in real-time in entire lineages of living cytotoxic T cells. This approach allowed them to pinpoint exactly when memory decisions within the cells are made, and how they are controlled at the molecular level. “These findings will help us engineer better disease-fighting T cells, that can persist longer in the body to mediate disease clearance,” says Hao Kueh, UW Bioengineering associate professor and senior author on the study. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gXUzUpYd

A new study finds SARS-CoV-2 directly infects the coronary vasculature and causes plaque inflammation, which could help explain why people with COVID-19 have an increased risk for ischemic cardiovascular complications up to 1 year after infection. IN PRACTICE:  "Our data conclusively demonstrate that SARS-CoV-2 is capable of infecting and replicating in macrophages within the coronary vasculature of patients with COVID-19," write the authors, adding that SARS-CoV-2 preferentially replicates in foam cells compared to other macrophages, suggesting these cells "might act as a reservoir of SARS-CoV-2 viral debris in the atherosclerotic plaque." SOURCE:  The study was led by Natalia Eberhardt, PhD, postdoctoral fellow, Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, New York University, New York City, and colleagues. It was published online on September 28 in Nature Cardiovascular Research. LIMITATIONS:  Findings are relevant only to the original strains of SARS-CoV-2 that circulated in New York City between May 2020 and May 2021, and are not generalizable to patients younger and healthier than those from whom samples were obtained for the study. DISCLOSURES:  The study received support from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The authors report no relevant financial relationships.

100 times more serotonin is produced by the intestinal Microbiome than is present in the brain. The Kefir milk in our Quick Treat protocol for COVID19 (consisting of vitamins C&D and Kefir) is rich in tryptophan and lactoferrin that support serotonin production (as well as block the cytokine storm). To date, none of our existing GI patients have been seriously ill, died or were hospitalized from COVID19 who have adhered to our regimen. Petrillo has recently shown bacteriophage-like reproduction of the SARS -CoV-2 virus in pure bacterial cultures established from healthy microbiomes. The secret to Long COVID is being overlooked..the answer lies in the gut. As it is becoming increasingly clear as well, are most other diseases of modern man. We are now seeing significant improvement in over 75% of our Long COVID patients undergoing colonoscopy that by necessity require a reductive step (I.e. a colon prep) of their existing dysbiotic and potentially infected microbiome followed by restoration step with high dose probiotics afterwards. Simple steps. Significant results. And now with a gentle but effective 1 liter colon cleansing solution that tastes like water, the potential solution becomes even sweeter….

Possible pathway for Long COVID pathogenesis uncovered Researchers assessed the metabolite profile of individuals with Long COVID and found serotonin abundance is reduced both during acute COVID-19 and in individuals with multiple long-term symptoms Researchers have finally uncovered a multiorgan pathway with important implications for the pathogenesis of Long COVID. Several hypotheses have been proposed to explain the causes of Long COVID. These include the presence of a viral reservoir long after initial infection; chronic inflammation, development of antibodies (as a result of anti-viral responses) that mistakenly target and damage a person’s own tissues or organs; platelet dysfunction and increased tendency to form blood clots inside blood vessels; and finally autonomic nervous system dysfunction in which the nervous system cannot control processes like heart rate or blood pressure. In addition, people suffering from Long COVID also exhibit reduced levels of peripheral serotonin, which prevents the activity of the vagus nerve system, which transmits signals between the body and the brain, thus impairing hippocampal responses and memory. Larry Cole - click on image to continue reading this article.

Publication alert: Out in Cell Reports from my PhD studies: We show splenic dendritic cells become paralyzed following blood infections contributing to protracted immunosuppression. We studied signals inducing DC paralysis, and therapies to rescue the DC function and restore immunocompetence. https://lnkd.in/gYakSRgU

IMMUNE CELL DISCOVERY: "THE POTENTIAL TO BE USED FOR ALMOST EVERYTHING" As their name suggests, regulatory T cells, or Tregs, are a type of white blood cell that actively regulate or suppress the body’s immune response. They stop the immune system from overreacting, keeping it in check by controlling inflammation and protecting against autoimmune diseases in which the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissues. A new study has overturned traditional thinking about regulatory T cells, which suppress the body’s inflammatory response, and has significant implications for treating a wide range of conditions, from repairing injured muscles to regrowing hair. https://lnkd.in/gmdTfMr2

NEW findings published in Nature Cardiovascular Research: Researchers report that #SARSCoV2 viral RNA is detectable and replicates in coronary lesions taken at autopsy from severe #COVID19 cases. SARS-CoV-2 targeted plaque #macrophages and exhibited a stronger tropism for arterial lesions than adjacent perivascular fat, correlating with macrophage infiltration levels. SARS-CoV-2 entry was increased in cholesterol-loaded primary macrophages and dependent, in part, on neuropilin-1. SARS-CoV-2 induced a robust #inflammatory response in cultured macrophages and human atherosclerotic vascular explants with secretion of cytokines known to trigger cardiovascular events. These data establish that SARS-CoV-2 infects coronary vessels, inducing plaque #inflammation that could trigger acute #cardiovascular complications and increase the long-term cardiovascular risk. Eberhardt, N., Noval, M.G., Kaur, R. et al. SARS-CoV-2 infection triggers pro-atherogenic inflammatory responses in human coronary vessels. Nat Cardiovasc Res (2023). https://lnkd.in/eFCkgpve

Recent research reveals that double-stranded RNA plays a crucial role in protecting the brain against infection. However, this protective mechanism also increases the risk of neuroinflammation, which can have damaging effects. Understanding this delicate balance between protection and potential harm is critical in furthering our knowledge of brain health and developing innovative strategies for treating neurological conditions. #NeuroscienceDiscovery #BrainProtection #Neuroinflammation #ResearchBreakthrough #BrainHealth #InnovativeTherapies.

Researchers at #DukeNUS have discovered the root cause behind some of the most critical COVID-19 issues, such as pneumonia, breathlessness, and even life-threatening cardiovascular events like blood clots and strokes. Their breakthrough, shared in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, sheds light on mast cells, a specific type of immune cell, as the key player in these complications. Read more about it at https://lnkd.in/gqVz7jAq. #DukeNUSResearch #mastcells #covid19