Coronavirus: could cells that fight common cold help people beat Covid-19?
- German researchers say findings could have significant implications regarding herd immunity thresholds and projections for the Covid-19 pandemic
- US team says its study provides strong direct molecular evidence that memory T-cells can see similar sequences between common cold coronaviruses and SARS-CoV-2
While much is unknown about the novel coronavirus, evidence is emerging that these cold-causing viruses might leave behind “memories” in our immune system that could affect how the body fights Covid-19.
New research published by separate teams in the US and Germany suggests certain immune cells involved in the defence against the common cold also react when exposed to SARS-CoV-2, as the novel coronavirus is known.
While neither study showed whether this pre-existing immune cell memory affects Covid-19 clinical outcomes, both teams said evidence of a “cross-reactive” immune response could explain why some people have much more severe responses to Covid-19 than others, but more research was needed.
The research comes as scientists around the world try to understand how the human immune system fights Covid-19 to help them design vaccines and drugs to fight it.