Thread by @PutrinoLab

Proud to have worked with the brilliant @drmfreire on this new study looking into spike protein in #LongCOVID. The most important part of this study that doesn't just look for spike protein in folks with LC and healthy controls, but it also uses a technique called
1/

https://twitter.com/drmfreire/status/2032475776814395407

spatial transcriptomics to better understand how spike protein might be interacting with the tissue around it. Here's what is interesting about this trial: lots of gut tissue samples, in both healthy controls and #LongCOVID showed evidence of persistent spike protein. However,
2/

in the folks with #LongCOVID that persistent spike protein was causing problems in the tissue: pro-inflammatory, tissue-damaging trouble. So not only do folks with LC have more spike, but the spike is actively irritating and damaging the surrounding tissue compared to healthy
3/

controls who present with less, more inert spike. As we reflect on what this might mean, a couple of questions and calls to action quickly become evident:
1) in a % of folks with #LongCOVID, spike is persisting and causing tissue problems, making it essential that we develop
4/

and deploy medications that will comprehensively clear spike.
2) In many healthy controls, persistent antigen is present, but inert. Should we be concerned that these folks may be at risk of being one trigger away from that spike becoming "not inert"?
3) No matter how it gets
5/

in your system, it would seem that some folks cannot seem to easily clear spike and/or have it persist in the body without inflammation and other tissue problems emerging. These folks deserve timely and effective interventional options.

This is one more piece of hard
6/

evidence that antigen persistence is a legitimate driver of symptoms and organ system dysfunction for #LongCOVID and vaccine injury. We need to be studying targeted mitigation strategies for persistent SARS-CoV-2 antigen YESTERDAY.

@Invivyd let's make it happen 👀

/end