A new review on neuroimmune pathophysiology of #LongCOVID explores how SARS-CoV-2 can cause lasting neurological symptoms through a combination of direct infection, immune dysregulation, and persistent inflammation. 1/ Key mechanisms include viral antigen persistence, autoimmunity, blood–brain barrier disruption, neurotransmitter imbalances, and glial cell dysfunction. The authors link these processes to cognitive impairment, fatigue, dysautonomia, and other Long COVID symptoms. 2/

I think, therefore I age!

As people get older, a growing population of cells starts to consume more energy — perhaps because the cells accumulate damage that leads them to rev up processes such as inflammation. 1/ An emerging hypothesis suggests that the brain accommodates these energy-hogging ‘senescent cells’ by stripping resources from other biological processes, which ultimately results in outward signs of ageing, such as greying hair or a reduction in muscle mass. 2/

A NEW study found that the SARS-CoV-2 nonstructural protein 15 (nsp15) helps the virus hide from the immune system in human lung and nasal cells. The nsp15 endoribonuclease is important in promoting virus replication and influencing disease severity. 1/ SARS2 variants lacking this activity exhibit impaired replication & cause milder disease, highlighting nsp15 as a key virulence factor. This underscores the importance of nsp15’s endoribonuclease activity in both promoting virus replication & influencing disease severity. 2/

Researchers developed a 23-amino acid peptide that mimics ACE2 and effectively binds the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, preventing viral entry. 1/ The peptide demonstrated potent antiviral activity against both the original and Omicron strains, with a therapeutic index greater than 20, indicating strong potential for therapeutic use. 2/

A NEW preprint found that submaximal exercise in people with #LongCOVID caused large microclots to fragment into smaller microclots and this then triggered increases in inflammatory and vascular injury markers. 1/ The breakdown of large microclots, rather than clearing them from circulation, was linked to reduced oxygen uptake and heightened inflammation. 2/

Globally, NB.1.8.1 is now the dominant variant. The WHO has issued a warning about rising COVID-19 activity in the Western Pacific, Southeast Asia, and Eastern Mediterranean, driven by NB.1.8.1 this week.

H/T: @RajlabN Classified as a "variant under monitoring" by the WHO & “ Nimbus” by @TRyanGregory, NB.1.8.1 has triggered a seventh consecutive week of surges in Southeast Asia. Taiwan has seen ER visits double again this week. 2/

focustaiwan.tw/society/202505…

The relationship between the gut and #LongCOVID:

Researchers found that people with LongCOVID fatigue have damaged gut barriers & signs of immune activation.

Preexisting gastrointestinal symptoms before COVID infection predisposed people to developing LongCOVID fatigue. 1/ LongCOVID patients were found to have an increased LBP/sCD14 ratio & lower IL-33 levels, which indicates altered immune activation & a reduced intestinal barrier. In addition, there were increased IL-6 levels, which are considered a marker for systemic inflammation. 2/

A new study from Germany found that intravenous administration of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein in mice led to neuroinflammation and accumulation of alpha-synuclein in brain regions associated with Parkinson’s disease. 1/ Authors also discovered “sex-dependent alterations in astrocyte reactivity and parvalbumin-positive interneurons.” 2/

A significant discovery in the fight against #LongCovid!

➡️ Researchers have identified the epipharynx, a part of the pharynx, as a key site for chronic inflammation driven by residual SARS-CoV-2 RNA. 1/ Using a next-generation molecular mapping technology called Visium HD spatial transcriptomics, researchers from Japan provided the world's first high-resolution spatial gene expression analysis of the epipharynx in patients with longCOVID. 2/

A new article on #LongCOVID shows that millions of Americans continue to suffer from LongCOVID which is a very complex and heterogeneous disease, with no diagnostic tests and no approved treatments. 1/ New clinical trials will target specific biological pathways including immune dysfunction and autoimmunity, viral persistence, and microclots rather than treating LongCOVID as a single disease. 2/

A study new finds that neutrophils—the most abundant white blood cells in humans—may be altered by SARS-CoV-2 virus to cease their normal function of destroying pathogens in the body and, instead, significantly inhibit other immune cells critical for fighting the virus. 1/ The study finds that in some COVID infections, SARS-CoV-2 may dramatically impair the immune response by reprogramming neutrophils—front-line immune cells central to fighting infections—into a cell type called polymorphonuclear myeloid derived suppressor cells (PMN-MDSCs) 2/

COVID-19 carries neurological and psychological risks. Alternative polyadenylation (APA) is ubiquitous in human genes, resulting in mRNA variation, and has been shown to play a key role in the starting and progression of many diseases, including viral infections. 1/ Here, researchers analyzed the APA usage across different cell types in frontal cortex cells from non-viral control group and COVID-19 patients, and identified functionally related APA events in COVID-19. 2/

A NEW study reports that 68 individuals with LongCOVID had unusually active CD8+ T cells and elevated IL-3 levels, which may drive inflammation and symptom severity up to 18 months after acute COVID infection. 1/ A pronounced T cell hypo-reactivity and reduced expression of IL-3 was found in patients with severe acute SARS-CoV-2 infection. Interestingly, the opposite was the case as researchers detected a marked hyper-reactivity of T cells in LongCOVID. 2/

A new study, the first to compare inflammation & brain stress in #LongCOVID patients w/ those who have fully recovered shows that those w/continued brain fog & other cognitive issues have a lower ability to adapt to stress & higher levels of inflammation in their brains. 1/ While previous longCOVID studies have shown changes in these markers in mice, this study evaluated the infection's impact on the brain in documented COVID-positive patients. 2/

A new study suggested that COVID-19 may cause lasting damage to the esophageal epithelial barrier, increasing its permeability & provoking an exacerbated inflammatory response. These changes may explain the prevalence of post-infection gastroesophageal symptoms 1/ This prospective study found that 55 hospitalized patients recovering from COVID reported significantly increased symptoms of heartburn and acid reflux 3 to 6 months after hospital discharge. 2/

A new study suggests that
#LongCOVID patients had significantly more dilated capillaries, microhemorrhages, abnormal capillary shapes (neoangiogenesis) and lower capillary density than both recovered COVID patients without LongCOVID and healthy controls. 1/ In this multicenter Italian study, researchers used nailfold videocapillaroscopy (NVC) to identify microvascular damage in Long COVID patients up to 18 months after infection. 2/

A new study shows that coronavirus spike proteins can trigger mast cell degranulation by binding to cellular receptors and activating the Src/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, leading to increased calcium levels and mast cell granule release. 1/ The activation and degranulation of mast cells (MCs), triggered by a variety of viruses, are intricately linked to viral pathogenesis. However, the precise mechanism underlying virus-induced MC degranulation remains largely unknown. 2/

Tiny RNA molecule may hold the key to treating knee osteoarthritis!

A NEW discovery could pave the way for new breakthroughs in detecting & treating the disease. Researchers identified a circulating microRNA, miR-126-3p, a mechanistic biomarker of osteoarthritis of knee 1/ MiR-126-3p plays a role in reducing blood vessel formation and reducing the severity of knee osteoarthritis, making it not just a signal of disease—but potentially a contributor to it. 2/

A new preprint validated earlier findings that genetic factors strongly influence who develops Long COVID, using data from both U.S. (All of Us) and U.K. (Sano GOLD) cohorts with diverse ancestries. 1/ Over 90% of genes identified in the original study were also associated with #LongCOVID in the U.S. population including in Black and Hispanic groups. 2/

A team of researchers has launched a global clinical trial to evaluate two repurposed anti-inflammatory drugs #upadacitinib and #pirfenidone—approved for treating arthritis and lung disease, respectively as potential treatments for #LongCOVID. 1/ he two drugs were selected using artificial intelligence (AI) from over 5,400 proteins linked to LongCOVID, offering a promising shortcut to treatment by targeting 13 shared biological pathways.  2/

A group from SUNY Buffalo developed a nanoparticle vaccine candidate that displays recombinant H5 and N1 proteins from the highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b on liposomes. 1/ The widespread transmission of highly pathogenic avian H5N1 influenza, clade 2.3.4.4b, in wild and livestock mammals with isolated human cases has heightened concerns for zoonotic outbreak, necessitating vaccine readiness. 2/