Early Immune Response Can Be a Contributor To Severe COVID-19 Infection, Study Finds
A study showed that the so-called ‘natural killer or NK cells’ were strongly stimulated early following SARS-CoV-2 infection although such type of activation varied in patients who had moderate and severe COVID-19.
Scientists may have come to a step closer to understanding the manner the immune system is contributing to severe COVID-19.
A study Science Immunology recently published, Sweden-based Karolinska Institutet showed that the so-called "natural killer or NK cells" were strongly stimulated early following SARS-CoV-2 infection although such type of activation varied in patients who had moderate and severe COVID-19.
The finding contributes to the understanding of hyperinflammation's development inflammation in several patients. Additionally, the result indicates that SARS-CoV-2 infection can, in certain circumstances, can lead to severe COVID-19 disease.
Even though this is perceived to be partly driven by a misallocated innate immune reaction, many features of the early immune reaction to the inflammation, stay elusive.
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Examining Early Reaction to COVID-19 Infection of 'Natural Killer' Cells
The Karolinska Institutet researchers have presently collaborated with colleagues at the Karolinska University Hospital examined the early reaction to this type of coronavirus infection of NK cells, a type of cell in the immune system to be essential in the regulation of viral infections.
The research examined 27 blood samples-from, 10 patients, with moderate and 17 patients with severe COVID-19 infection. Researchers included as well, blood samples from 17 healthy people which they identified as "a control group."
Research findings showed that NK cells were strongly stimulated in the blood immediately after infection. According to immunology researcher and physician Niklas Björkström from the Center of Infectious Medicine at Karolinska Institutet's Department of Medicine Huddinge, the NK cell activation type identified varied substantially in patients who had moderate, compared to severe infection.
It is probable that the NK cell response type observed in COVID-19-infected individuals who had moderate illness is an established NK cell response which is shared between numerous types of viral infections, depending on the researchers.
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Patients Having Different Form of Response
Patients who have had severe infection had a different form of response to NC cells. The NK cells of these patients, according to the research, had "higher expression of the proteins perforin, Ksp37, and NKG2C.
Furthermore, the scientists said, they reflect the adaptive NK cells' high presence. Adaptive NK cells, specifically, comprise an even greater capability of killing target cells "compared to the other NK cells."
The study authors are currently examining to what extent the NK cell-mediated immune reaction examined in the severely ill patients might add to the severity of COVID-19, and the degree to which other parts of the reaction may be advantageous.
Collectively taken, research findings provide added insights to immune responses in early SARS-CoV-2 infection and succeeding COVID-19 illness, Björkström explained.
The study head also said they are hoping that such insights would contribute to the enhanced care and treatment of COVID-19 cases among patients who had severe conditions.
Finally, this most recent research is part of a more extensive Karolinska COVID-19 Immune Atlas project, aiming to increase knowledge on the features of immune cells in patients who are suffering from COVID-19.
This research was backed by various organizations and institutes including Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation, the Swedish Research Council, the StratRegen Karolinska Institutet, and the SRP Diabetes Karolinska Institutet, among others.
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Aug 24, 2020 10:40 PM EDT
