Post by Nadica (She/Her) on Jun 14, 2024 20:24:26 GMT
SARS-CoV-2 Actively Infects And Kills Lymphoid Cells - Published April 18, 2022
Much of the public discussion surrounding SARS-CoV-2 infection has focused on the interactions between the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and cellular ACE2 receptors. Now, researchers at the University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences have found that this may only be part of the story. In a recent paper published by the journal Nature, scientists describe a new target for the SARS-CoV-2 virus that is independent of ACE2 receptors—our T cells.
One of the critical symptoms of SARS-CoV-2 infection is lymphopenia. Lymphopenia is a condition in which patients exhibit reduced levels of white blood cells called lymphocytes. Lymphocytes are the fundamental defense cells of our adaptive immune system. They consist of natural killer cells, T cells, and B cells. When any of these cells are reduced, it can inhibit our body’s ability to protect itself from viruses. Recent reports have shown that marked lymphopenia is observed in 83.2% of SARS-CoV-2 patients, but little is known about how SARS-CoV-2 effectively dismantles one of our primary tools of defense.