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Rare, super coronavirus antibodies likely to yield vaccine, say Stanford, UCSF experts
By Peter Fimrite Updated 11:24 am PDT, Tuesday, June 16, 2020
Dr. Katharina Roeltgen cleans COVID-19 antibody tests at the Stanford Clinical Virology Lab in Palo Alto. The lab is conducting antibody tests to try to neutralize COVID-19. Photo: James Tensuan / Special To The Chronicle
Photo: James Tensuan / Special To The Chronicle
Dr. Katharina Roeltgen cleans COVID-19 antibody tests at the Stanford Clinical Virology Lab in Palo Alto. The lab is conducting antibody tests to try to neutralize COVID-19.
The discovery of antibodies that block the most infectious elements of the coronavirus is helping Bay Area scientists unlock the many mysteries of human immunity, and could be crucial in the development of a vaccine.
Epidemiologists have found “neutralizing antibodies” in fewer than 5% of COVID-19 patients, but the ones they are now attempting to isolate are unique in their ability to prevent SARS-CoV-2 — the specific coronavirus that causes the illness — from entering human cells.
It means anyone with these antibodies would almost certainly be immune to the disease and that their blood plasma could potentially be used to inoculate others, according to several studies published over the past month by research laboratories in the United States and China.
Dr. George Rutherford, a UCSF infectious disease specialist, said neutralizing antibodies attack the virus’ crown-like spikes, which are the genesis of the name “corona,” preventing them from poking into and hijacking human cells.
This particular antibody prevents “the key from going into the lock,” Rutherford said, referring to the spike proteins, which must latch onto a human cell before the parasitic virus can replicate itself. “That’s what you want if you are going to have immunity.”
The super-strength antibody is one of many discoveries over the past three months by scientists in laboratories, hospitals and universities searching for a way to neutralize COVID-19. One thing that’s clear from the research is how inconsistent the human immune system is. Researchers say, for instance, that while some infected people develop killer antibodies, others have no antibodies at all.
Dr. George Rutherford, a UCSF infectious disease specialist, says certain antibodies attack the virus’ crown-like spikes. Photo: Santiago Mejia / The Chronicle
Photo: Santiago Mejia / The ChronicleDr. George Rutherford, a UCSF infectious disease specialist, says certain antibodies attack the virus’ crown-like spikes.
Between 10% and 20% of patients with COVID-19 show no antibodies in serological tests, Rutherford said. The remaining 75% or more of coronavirus patients develop antibodies, he said, but they aren’t the neutralizing kind, indicating immunity to the disease might not last long in most people.
“The way I think about it, we have a certain amount of the population that, even if they have a history of infection, won’t have any measurable antibodies and therefore won’t have immunity,” Rutherford said. “Then there is a certain proportion who will have high levels of antibodies and some who have transient antibodies, where we don’t know how long those antibodies will last.”
www.sfgate.com
By Peter Fimrite Updated 11:24 am PDT, Tuesday, June 16, 2020
Dr. Katharina Roeltgen cleans COVID-19 antibody tests at the Stanford Clinical Virology Lab in Palo Alto. The lab is conducting antibody tests to try to neutralize COVID-19. Photo: James Tensuan / Special To The Chronicle
Photo: James Tensuan / Special To The Chronicle
Dr. Katharina Roeltgen cleans COVID-19 antibody tests at the Stanford Clinical Virology Lab in Palo Alto. The lab is conducting antibody tests to try to neutralize COVID-19.
The discovery of antibodies that block the most infectious elements of the coronavirus is helping Bay Area scientists unlock the many mysteries of human immunity, and could be crucial in the development of a vaccine.
Epidemiologists have found “neutralizing antibodies” in fewer than 5% of COVID-19 patients, but the ones they are now attempting to isolate are unique in their ability to prevent SARS-CoV-2 — the specific coronavirus that causes the illness — from entering human cells.
It means anyone with these antibodies would almost certainly be immune to the disease and that their blood plasma could potentially be used to inoculate others, according to several studies published over the past month by research laboratories in the United States and China.
Dr. George Rutherford, a UCSF infectious disease specialist, said neutralizing antibodies attack the virus’ crown-like spikes, which are the genesis of the name “corona,” preventing them from poking into and hijacking human cells.
This particular antibody prevents “the key from going into the lock,” Rutherford said, referring to the spike proteins, which must latch onto a human cell before the parasitic virus can replicate itself. “That’s what you want if you are going to have immunity.”
The super-strength antibody is one of many discoveries over the past three months by scientists in laboratories, hospitals and universities searching for a way to neutralize COVID-19. One thing that’s clear from the research is how inconsistent the human immune system is. Researchers say, for instance, that while some infected people develop killer antibodies, others have no antibodies at all.
Dr. George Rutherford, a UCSF infectious disease specialist, says certain antibodies attack the virus’ crown-like spikes. Photo: Santiago Mejia / The Chronicle
Photo: Santiago Mejia / The ChronicleDr. George Rutherford, a UCSF infectious disease specialist, says certain antibodies attack the virus’ crown-like spikes.
Between 10% and 20% of patients with COVID-19 show no antibodies in serological tests, Rutherford said. The remaining 75% or more of coronavirus patients develop antibodies, he said, but they aren’t the neutralizing kind, indicating immunity to the disease might not last long in most people.
“The way I think about it, we have a certain amount of the population that, even if they have a history of infection, won’t have any measurable antibodies and therefore won’t have immunity,” Rutherford said. “Then there is a certain proportion who will have high levels of antibodies and some who have transient antibodies, where we don’t know how long those antibodies will last.”
Rare, super coronavirus antibodies likely to yield vaccine, say Stanford, UCSF experts
A super-strength antibody that attacks the destructive spike proteins in the coronavirus...
www.sfgate.com
