Scientists from Yale University have identified a feature of immunity that complicates the course of COVID-19, according to The Guardian.
It is noted that a large number of “wrong” antibodies (autoantibodies) in the blood target organs, tissues and the immune system itself, and not to fight the invading virus. This not only provokes complications during infection with coronavirus, but also causes a long course of the disease.
Experts have analyzed immune responses in infected and healthy people. As a result, the infected were found to have many abnormal antibodies. They blocked the antiviral defense and destroyed useful immune cells. They also attacked the body, including the brain, blood vessels and liver.
During the study, it turned out that the more autoantibodies in the blood of patients, the harder they tolerated COVID-19. At the same time, more of these antibodies were found in those infected with coronavirus infection than in people with the autoimmune disease – lupus.
Previously it was reported that patients with severe COVID-19 have genes that can aggravate the course of the infection. Scientists at the University of Edinburgh examined 2,200 COVID-19 patients from more than 200 UK intensive care units. They found the same modifications in the OAS1, OAS2, OAS3 genes, as well as TYK2, DPP9 and IFNAR2. Variations in five genes have been linked to the development of severe COVID-19.