By looking at blood samples collected before the pandemic, we compared them with samples from people who had COVID-19. So
It was possible to accurately determine the types of antibodies that cross-reacted with benign coronaviruses, as well as with SARS-CoV-2.Rayes Andrabi, PhD, is a researcher in the Department of Immunology and Microbiology
In later tests, isolated antibodies also neutralized SARS-CoV-1, the coronavirus that causes SARS.
This type of cross-reactive antibody is likelyproduced by a memory B cell that is initially exposed to the coronavirus that causes the common cold and then emerges during COVID-19 infection.
Memory B cells are an essential part ofthe immune system. They remember the initial threats of the disease and can circulate in the bloodstream for decades to return to work if the threat reappears. These cells are responsible for the production of targeted antibodies.
This discovery could be an important step towards creating a pan-coronavirus vaccine that could protect against potential coronaviruses that emerge in the future.
The study highlights how important it is to fully understand the nature of preexisting immunity, especially with regard to coronaviruses.
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