BREAKING NEWS! UCSF Study Reveals Prolonged T Cell Activation And SARS-CoV-2 Viral RNA Persistence For Up To 2.5 Years Following COVID-19!
COVID-19 News: In a new study conducted by the University of California San Francisco (UCSF), researchers have made a alarming discovery that could revolutionize our understanding of Long COVID. The study sheds light on the puzzling phenomenon where some individuals fail to return to their baseline health following SARS-CoV-2 infection, experiencing a myriad of unexplained symptoms collectively known as Long COVID. This post-acute phase of COVID-19 has become a significant health concern, affecting millions of people worldwide, with currently no widely accepted treatments.
[18F]F-AraG PET and PET/CT images from participants following COVID-19 and pre-pandemic control volunteers. Maximum intensity projections (MIP; coronal and sagittal views of 3-dimesional reconstructions) are shown for four representative participants at various times following SARS-CoV-2 infection (a) and male and female uninfected controls (b). Axial PET/CT overlay images are shown in (c) showing increased signal in nasal turbinates, parotid glands, hilar lymph node, lung parenchyma, and lumbar bone marrow in representative post-acute COVID and pre-pandemic control participants (white arrows).
The UCSF study delves into the mechanisms behind Long COVID, revealing how viral persistence and immune dysregulation may play a pivotal role.
To explore this intriguing area of research, the study team employed a state-of-the-art technique called whole-body positron emission tomography (PET) imaging, using a novel radiopharmaceutical agent called [18F] F-AraG. This groundbreaking tracer allowed them to quantitatively map the activation of T lymphocytes, key immune cells responsible for fighting off infections, throughout various anatomical regions of the body.
The study recruited a cohort of 24 participants who had experienced acute SARS-CoV-2 infection, and they were monitored at various time points, ranging from 27 to 910 days after their initial symptoms.
The study findings were astounding - the post-acute COVID group, which included individuals with and without Long COVID symptoms, exhibited significantly higher tracer uptake compared to pre-pandemic controls. This increase in T cell activation was observed in various tissues, including the brain stem, spinal cord, bone marrow, nasopharyngeal and hilar lymphoid tissue, cardiopulmonary tissues, and the gut wall.
Perhaps most surprising of all, the researchers found that T cell activation persisted for up to 2.5 years following the initial infection.
This suggests that the immune system remains in a heightened state of alertness, even in individuals who had mild or clinically resolved COVID-19.
Additionally, the study team observed that T cell activation in specific anatomical regions, such as the spinal cord and gut wall, correlated with the presence of Long COVID symptoms.
The study also found that lung tissue showed higher tracer uptake in those with persistent pulmonary symptoms, pointing to a potential link between ongoing immune responses and long-term clinical manifestations.
The study's implications exten
d beyond T cell activation, as it delved into the presence of viral RNA in the gut tissue of participants with Long COVID symptoms.
Through in situ hybridization SARS-CoV-2 RNA and immunohistochemical studies, the researchers identified cellular SARS-CoV-2 RNA in rectosigmoid lamina propria tissue in all Long COVID participants who underwent biopsy. This discovery highlights the possibility of tissue viral persistence contributing to the prolonged immunological changes observed in Long COVID.
Thailand Medical News in our previous
COVID-19 News coverage had already warned that Long COVD is but viral persistence.
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/there-is-no-such-thing-as-long-covid-sars-cov-2-exposure-causes-persistent-infections-along-with-continuous-presence-of-short-viral-rnas-svrnas
In fact, we were the first ones who have been warning about viral persistence since early as 2020.
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/breaking-researchers-present-case-reports-of-long-covid-patients-with-persistence-of-residual-sars-cov-2-antigen-and-rna-in-various-tissues
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/breaking-sars-cov-2-persists-in-intestinal-enterocytes-up-to-7-months-after-symptom-resolution--viral-persistence-is-real-and-a-serious-issue
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/breaking-u-s-nih-study-shockingly-reveals-sars-cov-2-viral-persistence-throughout-human-body-and-in-the-brain-even-in-those-who-were-asymptomatic
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/breaking-many-long-covid-19-patients-have-higher-levels-of-circulating-sars-cov-2-viral-rna-compared-to-those-with-acute-infection
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/breaking-latest-u-s-nih-study-reveals-viral-persistence-is-a-major-issue-and-that-sars-cov-2-replicates-in-tissues-for-months-in-post-covid-individua
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/breaking-ongoing-u-s-study-shows-persistence-of-sars-cov-2-s1-protein-in-cd16-monocytes-in-post-acute-sequelae-of-covid-19-up-to-15-months-post-infe
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/breaking-covid-19-news-millions-unknowingly-harbor-sars-cov-2-in-their-gut-with-viral-persistence-contributing-to-long-covid
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/breaking-covid-19-news-finally,-u-s-nih-warns-sars-cov-2-viral-persistence-is-a-serious-issue-that-is-also-affecting-long-covid
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/covid-news-new-york-scientists-find-sars-cov-2-viral-presence-in-the-lung-up-to-359-days-after-acute-phase-of-disease-even-in-the-negative-tested
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/sar-cov-2-virus-found-lingering-in-the-middle-ear-for-a-long-time-after-infection-chinese-researchers-warn-of-viral-persistence-in-the-ears
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/covid-19-news-japanese-study-also-validates-viral-persistence-after-discovering-high-titers-of-infectious-sars-cov-2-in-corpses-of-patients-with-covid
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/contrary-to-fallacies,-many-with-asymptomatic-sars-cov-2-infections-are-also-prone-to-various-long-term-health-and-medical-issues
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/breaking-long-covid-is-a-misnomer-the-conditions-are-being-caused-by-viral-persistence-and-viral-peptides-similar-to-retrotransposons-and-introns
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/yet-another-study-confirms-viral-persistence-in-so-called-covid-19-recovered-patients-this-time-in-breast-and-appendix-tissues-of-two-patients-with-lo
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/viral-persistence-georgia-state-university-study-indicates-that-sars-cov-2-may-hide-in-the-brain-and-cause-relapses-in-recovered-patients
(Please use TMN’s search function as there are more than 38 articles supporting these statements!)
These new groundbreaking findings by UCSF challenge the conventional notion that COVID-19 is a transient acute infection, demonstrating instead that it can lead to long-lasting consequences on tissue-based immune homeostasis.
The study provides crucial evidence supporting the role of tissue-based immune activation and viral persistence as major contributors to the post-acute sequelae of COVID-19, including Long COVID.
The implications of this study are profound. With Long COVID affecting millions worldwide and lacking effective treatments, understanding the underlying mechanisms is of utmost importance. The identification of tissue-specific immune responses, persistent T cell activation, and viral RNA in certain anatomical regions could be a game-changer in developing targeted therapies and interventions for Long COVID patients.
Furthermore, the implications of this research extend beyond Long COVID. Understanding the prolonged immune responses and viral persistence in tissues is crucial for designing effective strategies to combat the virus and its consequences. It also opens new avenues of research to explore potential therapies that can alleviate the burden of Long COVID and improve the quality of life for affected individuals.
However, the study is only the beginning of this exciting new frontier of research. The researchers themselves acknowledge the need for larger studies to further elucidate the relationships between tissue-level immune responses and specific Long COVID endotypes. Moreover, the complex interplay between viral persistence and immune activation warrants deeper investigation to identify potential therapeutic targets.
The UCSF study has undoubtedly captured the attention of the scientific community and the general public alike. Its groundbreaking discoveries have the potential to revolutionize our understanding of Long COVID and pave the way for more targeted and effective treatments. The implications of this research are far-reaching and have the potential to change the lives of millions of people around the world.
The study findings were published on a preprint server and are currently being peer reviewed.
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.07.27.23293177v1
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