COVID changes to immune systems offer insights into therapy

Investigating changes in the immunity systems of people who were critically sick due to coronavirus can be useful in developing new drug and therapies, according to scientists.

Experts from Shanghai's Renji Hospital have published an article explaining that the change of B cells' response channel is an important cause for infection and immunity, including serious cases of COVID-19.

The discovery was published by world-leading journal Immunity. It can offer new target and research thoughts for the prevention and control of infectious disease, the hospital said.

Immunity is the body's natural defense, blocking the invasion of bacteria and viruses. The response of B cell immunity is an important mechanism of the defense system.

Doctors from the hospital's department of rheumatology's Sino-Australia Center for Personalized Immunity found the reason why the response is prohibited, and stated that the change of response route of B cell immunity is the important reason why critical coronavirus patients have poor prognosis.

Studying the response route can be very meaningful for the prevention and control of infection and autoimmune diseases, experts said.