Two Scientific Research Papers Identifying Similar Outcomes for Longhauler Research
NB: Both scientific papers are pre-prints and are yet to be peer-reviewed.
Short Explanation of Autoantibodies
An Autoantibody is an antibody (a type of protein) produced by your own immune system that is directed against one or more of your own healthy cell proteins causing you to become sick. An antigen is also a type of protein, it is a foreign invader that your immune system uses antibodies to fight to protect you. Examples of antigens are bacteria, fungi, allergens, toxins and viruses. A virus such as SARS-CoV-2 causes the body to produce autoantibodies. It is thought that the production of these autoantibodies are on of the reasons why some people develop Long COVID.
Summary Paper 1:
SUMMARY OF – Santos Guedes de Sa K, Silva J, Bayarri-Olmos R, Brinda R, Alec Rath Constable R, A. Colom Diaz P, Kwon DI, Rodrigues G, Wenxue L, Baker C, Bhattacharjee B. A causal link between autoantibodies and neurological symptoms in long COVID. medRxiv. 2024:2024-06. (Akiko Iwasaki and David Putrino were also involved in this research but are not the lead authors)
Credible Source: From a scientific group in the USA published in June 2024
An acute SARS-CoV-2 infection triggers the generation of diverse and functional autoantibodies
Persistently elevated autoantibodies have been found in some individuals with Long COVID.
The scientific team identified a range of autoantibodies targeted towards proteins in the nervous system of Long Haulers with neurocognitive and neurological symptoms.
They extracted these autoantibodies from the Long Haulers and found that they reacted to a human tissue from region of the brainstem called the Pons.
They also found that these autoantibodies cross-reacted to the sciatic nerves, spinal cord and meninges of mice.
From the mouse reactions they discerned that this correlated to the headache and disorientation that the Long COVID sufferers symptoms that they extracted tissue from.
They also found that the mice who received these autoantibodies had an increased sensitivity to pain, loss of balance and co-ordination – similar to the patients’ own symptoms.
The conclusion of the study are that with further research existing treatments targeting the eradication/reduction of these type of autoantibodies for Long COVID could be used and biomarkers (blood tests to show the presence of Long COVID) could be developed to identify these autoantibodies in Long Haulers who have these types of neurological symptoms, particularly those with chronic pain.
Summary Paper 2:
Another separate scientific group in the Netherlands has produced similar results published in May 2024:
Chen HJ, Appelman B, Willemen H, Bos A, Prado J, Geyer CE, Silva Santos Ribeiro P, Versteeg S, Larsen MD, Schuchner E, Bomers MM. Transfer of IgG from Long COVID patients induces symptomology in mice. bioRxiv. 2024:2024-05.
SUMMARY
Their findings identified 3 distinct Long COVID subgroups, transfer of the autoantibodies from the subgroup experiencing chronic pain to mice corresponded to the development of chronic pain in mice, the mice also had a corresponding reduction in their motor activity.
Their conclusions were that with further research biomarkers for Long COVID could be developed to identify Long Haulers with certain neurological symptoms.
The transfer of certain identified autoantibodies mimicked similar symptoms in mice and could lead to the understanding of the pathophysiology of Long COVID.
Each scientific groups had slightly different make up of Long COVID patients, but the results are exciting because it has been shown that a similar investigation with a similar method has been repeatable which makes the reasoning that neurological symptoms of Long COVID could be due to an autoimmune pathway more likely, so increasing our understanding of the disease, and giving and indication that we should target research into developing blood tests to identify Long COVID in this direction alongside treatments in this area.
Credible Source:
May be under a subscription paywall
Antibodies from Long COVID patients prompt Symptoms in Mice – published by Science 21st June 2024What Causes Long COVID? Case Builds for Rogue Antibodies – Nature News 13th June 2024
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