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Spike protein heart11/16/2023 Yonker, MD (Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston), and colleagues turned to immunoprofiling as a way to better understand the underlying mechanisms. Prior studies have provided insight into the key clinical features of myocarditis cases, rare but real, seen with Pfizer/BioNTech’s BNT162b2 and Moderna’s mRNA-1273 vaccines.įor their paper, published online in Circulation, Lael M. Levels of the antigen were unusually high among those with myocarditis. Instead, the complication seems related to how some individuals process spike protein, produced by the body using the vaccine’s mRNA as a template. Visit us online at: that arises after receipt of an mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccine among adolescents and young adults does not appear to result from a heightened overall immune response or from autoantibodies, new data suggest. We strive to conduct high quality research aimed at developing a deep understanding of diseases and generating innovative cures and treatments. MMRI is a non-profit dedicated to scientific research that improves the health and quality of life for all. “Regular flu rarely causes heart damage,” Lin noted, “however, COVID-19 can especially impact the heart.”Ĭo-authors are Caroline Sheldon, B.A. His study is another proof point for this difference. Lin noted too, for those who might question the difference between the common flu and COVID, that there are in fact major differences in the viruses. “TLR4 signaling is the major pathway that activates the body’s natural immune response, and the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein activates TLR4, a response not seen from a regular flu viruses or other coronavirus spike proteins.”ĭr. “The fact that the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein is uniquely activating the natural immune response may explain the high virulence levels when compared to other coronaviruses,” Lin said. This is specific to COVID-19 infection, as a different spike protein from another coronavirus previously shown to cause flu symptoms but no heart injury did not mediate this response. In this study, Lin and his research group found that the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein interacts with a a unique inflammatory receptor called Toll-Like Receptor 4 (TLR4) to initiate a natural immune response in heart muscle cells. However, this may also impair heart muscle cell function and even lead to cell death when it is overstimulated,” Lin said. Activation of the body’s immune response is essential for fighting against virus infection. “Host natural immunity is the first line of defense against pathogenic invasion, and heart muscle cells have their own natural immune machinery. In addition to infecting the heart and lungs, the virus can also spread to other organs, leading to more damage to the body, severe infection, and, among some people, death. In this manner, therefore, the spike protein can facilitate virus entry into healthy cells, which is the first step in infection. The spike protein is found on the surface of SARS-CoV-2, which latches on to a receptor known as angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) on target cells. That’s why it’s important to get vaccinated, to prevent this devastating disease.” “Our data show for the first time that the spike protein from SARS-CoV-2 causes heart muscle damage. What we suspect is that the spike protein has a likely pathological role,” said Dr. “It’s known from the clinical side that COVID can induce heart injury however, what we don’t know is the mechanism for how this occurs. The American Heart Association announced the findings Monday, July 25, in Chicago at the AHA Basic Cardiovascular Sciences Meeting. Zhiqiang Lin Ph.D., Assistant Professor at the Masonic Medical Research Institute in Utica, New York, led the team which made the discovery. Now, researchers show that the spike protein from SARS-CoV-2 can lead to heart muscle injury through a specific inflammatory process, leading to heart injury. UTICA, NY - Heart damage is common among patients hospitalized with Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2, the virus which causes COVID-19), leading many to wonder how it is that the virus affects the heart.
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