A groundbreaking paper by @younis_sh1 et al. @stanfordimmuno provides an answer to the long-standing question about how EBV infections are linked to lupus. A short thread to explain the key findings. (1/)
science.org/doi/10.1126/sc… The authors developed a new method called EBV-seq, enabling them to overcome the barrier of studying rare cells (~25 per 10,000 B cells in lupus patients) that are infected by EBV. Note that in healthy people, only 1/10,000 B cells are EBV-infected. (2/)

Introducing BEACON (Bioactive Enhanced Adjuvant Chemokine Oligonucleotide Nanoparticles) to stimulate mucosal immune responses against genital #HSV infection. Awesome work led by @sachinbhag, who designed and developed BEACON to guide T and B cells (1/)
biorxiv.org/content/10.110… The BEACON nanoparticle is composed of CpG ODN (TLR9 agonist) and CXCL9 (chemokine). When applied to the vaginal mucosa, the recruitment of antiviral T cells is achieved with minimal local inflammation - much more potent than CpG or CXCL9 separately. (2/)

A fascinating new study by Vishnu Shankar et al. @stanfordimmuno shows that oxidative stress is a shared characteristic of ME/CFS and Long COVID in lymphocytes due to inability to clear reactive oxygen species. This happens in sex-specific manner. (1/)
pnas.org/doi/abs/10.107… Females show higher mtROS levels and insufficient antioxidant levels, while males show mitochondrial lipid oxidative damage. While the reason for this is unclear, it may explain the sex differences in lymphocyte dysfunction we see in PAIS in general. (2/)
science.org/doi/10.1126/sc…

Published today! Victoria Bastos, @KerrieGreene_ et al found two distinct immunotypes of ME/CFS based on the cerebrospinal fluid analysis. Great collaboration with @MBVanElzakker @microbeminded2 and the Bragée clinic in Sweden. (1/)
academic.oup.com/jimmunol/artic… This is perfect timing as Victoria will present these data at the @polybioRF symposium today. (2/)

polybio.org/spring-2025-sy…

Published today📣
Our nasal booster in the "Prime & Spike" vaccine works without adjuvants (which are needed to induce adaptive immunity but also cause inflammation). @Kwon_Dongil @tianyangmao @BenIsraelow et al. asked how this is possible. (1/)
nature.com/articles/s4159… Prime & Spike is a vaccine strategy that leverages preexisting immunity primed by conventional vaccines to elicit mucosal IgA and T cell responses that prevent COVID infection and transmission in rodents. The nasal booster is simply the spike protein (2/) science.org/doi/10.1126/sc…

This prospective observational study led by @connorbgrady @bornali_27 @SilvaJ_C @hmkyale examined the impact of the primary COVID-19 vaccination on the symptoms and immune signatures of 16 people with #longCOVID. Here is what we found 👇🏼 (1/)

nature.com/articles/s4385… This study asked: Does COVID vaccination improve symptoms of long COVID? If so, is the improvement due to robust T and B cell responses leading to the clearance of the viral reservoir? If not, is there an immune feature that predicts worsening of LC? (2/)

Our preprint on post-vaccination syndrome is out. We studied immune signatures and examined spike protein in the blood of people who have developed chronic illnesses after COVID-19 vaccination. (1/) medrxiv.org/content/10.110… Vaccines have saved countless lives and inspired me to become an immunologist. While generally safe, some people experience adverse effects, including Post-Vaccination Syndrome (PVS). Studying PVS is crucial for improving patient care and enhancing vaccine safety & acceptance. (2/) pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37986769/

Happy to share our latest work by @YYexin et al. on antibody-mediated control of endogenous retroviruses in mice. In the process, we found “natural antibodies” with broad reactivity against enveloped viruses. Here is how “panviral” antibodies work 🧵(1/)

science.org/doi/10.1126/sc… Endogenous retroviruses (ERV) are remnants of genetic invaders that have integrated into our ancestors' genomes over millions of years. ERVs occupy ~8% of the human genome and are under constant host immune surveillance. (2/)
nature.com/articles/nrg31…
nature.com/articles/nrmic…

This time, we developed a nasal booster vaccine for influenza viruses. In this preprint, @MiyuMoriyama et al. show that nasal boosters with unadjuvanted hemagglutinin protein induce sterilizing immunity in mice against flu. (1/)
biorxiv.org/content/10.110… This work builds on the Prime and Spike vaccine strategy by @tianyangmao @BenIsraelow et al. against COVID where mRNA vaccine followed by nasal booster with recombinant spike protein established local immunity, ⬇️ infection & transmission in rodents. (2/)
science.org/doi/10.1126/sc…

Much-needed data on the genetics of #longCOVID in a new preprint by @23andMeResearch - GWAS of #LongCOVID identified 3 loci pointing to immune and thrombo-inflammatory mechanisms 🔥 @ninaadsc
1) HLA-DQA1–HLA-DQB
2) ABO
3) BPTF–KPAN2–C17orf58
(1/)
medrxiv.org/content/10.110… Among research participants who reported acute SARS-CoV2 infection, 64,384 participants reported to have experienced Long COVID and 178,537 participants did not. Their analytical cohort consisted of 54,390 cases and 124,777 controls 👇🏼 (2/)

Keynote talk by @MichaelPelusoMD. “#LongCovid is not a mystery anymore. Working with patients, I have optimism that we can figure this out.” #YaleCIISymposium An excellent framework in thinking about the pathogenesis of #LongCovid
@MichaelPelusoMD

Sharing this scoping review on "Post-Acute sequelae of COVID-19 in pediatric patients within the United States" by @ChrisMillerDO - an amazing @YalePediatrics infectious diseases fellow focused on research and treatment of #longcovidkids (1/)

sciencedirect.com/science/articl… Key findings:
- Most pediatric LC patients were adolescents.
- ♀>♂️
- 80% of pediatric LC patients started with a mild initial infection.
- Asthma, atopy, allergic rhinitis (type 2 immune diseases), and obesity were frequently reported pre-existing conditions. (2/)

An important study by F. Eun-Hyung Lee's team shows that long lived plasma cells (the source of long-term circulating antibodies) fail to establish after mRNA vaccination (even combined with SARS-CoV-2 infection). 🧵 (1/)
nature.com/articles/s4159… The longevity of antibody-mediated protection against infectious diseases rely on whether or not the vaccines can establish long lived plasma cells (LLPC) in the bone marrow. They are the source of circulating antibodies for years to decades. (2/)
nature.com/articles/s4159…

A new study led by @marioph13 in collaboration with the @WilenLab examines two bat coronaviruses that are the closest relatives of SARS-CoV-2 for their ability to infect, evade immunity and transmit between rodents. Some key takeaway points 🧵 (1/) nature.com/articles/s4156… Here is a link to the accessible manuscript (2/)
rdcu.be/dPjsA

Sharing our new study by @keylas3, @SilvaJ_C, Rafael Bayarri Olmos et al (with T. Horvath & @PutrinoLab) showing that a passive transfer of IgG from patients with #longCOVID into mice recapitulates ⬆️ pain and other symptoms 🧵 (1/)

medrxiv.org/content/10.110… Long COVID disease pathogenesis includes persistent SARS-CoV-2 virus, dysbiosis, herpesvirus reactivation, autoimmunity, and others. In this study, we focus on the role of autoantibodies. (2/)

What determines whether someone gets infected or not after exposure to SARS-CoV-2? A new study by Lindeboom et al examined this question with COVID-19 human challenge study. @BenIsraelow and I summarize their key findings in this News & Views 🧵 (1/)
nature.com/articles/d4158… The study: 16 healthy young volunteers with no prior infection or vaccination were inoculated nasally with a low dose of pre-Alpha SARS-CoV-2 strain. Interestingly, only 6 had sustained infection, 3 had transient, and 7 had abortive infection at this dose. (2/) nature.com/articles/s4158…

Preventing infection is the best way to avoid diseases like #PAIS. A new study from our team @tianyangmao, Jooyoung Kim, @marioph13 et al shows that a generic antibiotic neomycin acts on the host immune system in the👃🏽to trigger antiviral resistance. (1/)🧵
pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pn… This work is inspired by @SmitaGopinath et al who showed that an antibiotic class called aminoglycosides has an unusual antiviral property. Aminoglycosides including neomycin trigger interferon-stimulated genes through a TLR3-dependent mechanism. (2/)
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/P…

Delighted to share our latest work on #longCOVID - sex differences in symptoms and immune signatures. Led by @SilvaJ_C @taka_takehiro @wood_jamie_1 et al. with @LeyingGuan & @PutrinoLab. We find a striking inverse correlation btw testosterone levels and symptom burden👇🏼 (1/)

medrxiv.org/content/10.110… This work leverages data from our recent Mount Sinai-Yale long COVID "MY-LC" study with the @PutrinoLab. This time, we asked the question, "Are there differences in symptoms and immune signatures of ♀️ vs. ♂️ with LC"? (2/)

nature.com/articles/s4158…

In this prospective observational study, we examined changes in symptoms & immune phenotypes in vaccine-naïve people with #LongCovid after COVID-19 vaccination. Due to the timing of the initiation of this study, we were only able to recruit 16 people. However, the insights we gained are intriguing. Led by @connorbgrady, @bornali_27, @silva_JC, @hmkyale et al. (1/)
medrxiv.org/content/10.110… This study was initiated in collaboration with @Survivor_Corps @dianaberrent based on their Facebook poll showing that 40% of respondents with self-reported Long COVID had mild to full symptom resolution after vaccination while 14% reported worsening of their symptoms. (2/)
doi.org/10.1101/2021.0…

So pleased to report that our Mount Sinai-Yale long COVID (MY-LC) paper with @putrinolab & others is now published!! Proud of the hard work of all who contributed. We found biological signatures that can distinguish people with vs. without #longCOVID (1/) nature.com/articles/s4158… Question being asked: are there circulating cells & immune factors that are distinct in people with #longCOVID (LC) vs. those who recovered from COVID (convalescent control; CC) or those who never had COVID (healthy control; HC)? We studied 268 participants to address this. (2/)

A short 🧵on a recent study by @MaggieLind2 with @MHitchingsEpi @datcummings Albert Ko et al. Data show that immunity induced by vaccines, prior infection or both (hybrid) protects against SARS-CoV-2 infection when viral exposure is low to moderate (1/)

nature.com/articles/s4146… Question being asked: What is the risk of becoming *infected* with SARS-CoV-2 after developing immunity following a vaccine, prior infection, or both if exposure to the virus is very high, moderate, or low? They did not study the severity of symptoms. (2/)