Vipin M. Vashishtha Profile picture
Pediatrician, ‘rational’ vaccine thinker, Editor Covid Vaccines, TB on Vaccines & many others, Past-Convener IAP COI, Member-WHO-VSN https://t.co/eOvazlWmWg
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May 13 4 tweets 2 min read
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/ Image 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/ Image
May 5 7 tweets 2 min read
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/ Image 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/ Image
May 5 6 tweets 3 min read
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/ Image 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/ Image
Apr 30 6 tweets 2 min read
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/ Image 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/
Apr 30 4 tweets 2 min read
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/ Image 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/ Image
Apr 29 7 tweets 3 min read
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/ Image 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/ Image
Apr 29 4 tweets 2 min read
Children who tested positive for COVID, face significantly higher long-term risks for chronic kidney disease, gastrointestinal disorders, and cardiovascular issues compared to peers who tested negative. 1/ Image The study, led by the University of Pennsylvania and part of the NIH’s RECOVER initiative, found kidney disease risks increased up to 35%, GI symptoms by up to 28%, and cardiovascular conditions like heart inflammation or arrhythmias by 63%. 2/ Image
Apr 25 13 tweets 4 min read
Could this molecule be 'checkmate' for SARS-CoV-2?

A research team has developed new drug candidates major protease blockers, AVI-4516 & AVI-4773 that show great promise against SARS-CoV-2 & potentially other coronaviruses that could cause future pandemics 1/ Image In preclinical testing, the compounds performed better than Paxlovid against SARS-CoV-2 and the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) virus, which periodically causes deadly outbreaks around the world. 2/ Image
Apr 21 6 tweets 2 min read
Remember COVID toes?

➡️ A study has found that people with pandemic chilblains have an unusually strong immune response to SARS-CoV-2, driven by overactive plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) responding to TLR7 signals. 1/ Image Given the essential role of type I interferon in protective immunity against SARS2 & the association of chilblains with inherited type I interferonopathies, researchers hypothesized that excessive I-IFN responses to SARS2 might underlie the occurrence of chilblains 2/ Image
Apr 19 7 tweets 2 min read
Differential DNA methylation 7 months after SARS-CoV-2 infection

A NEW study detected associations between changes in DNA methylation in individuals who had even asymptomatic or mild SARS-CoV-2 infections as compared to their household controls after 7 moths of infection 1/ Image Aberrant DNA methylation patterns have been linked to various diseases, including cancer and metabolic disorders. 

These changes resembled patterns seen in autoimmune or inflammatory diseases, suggesting long-term epigenetic remodeling even in mild cases. 2/ Image
Apr 19 11 tweets 4 min read
New research reveals that calming the brain's immune cells may reduce Alzheimer's disease inflammation. The study highlights the importance of norepinephrine, which could lead to more targeted, early, and personalized treatments. 1/ Image Norepinephrine is a major signaling factor in the brain and affects almost every cell type. In the context of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, it has been shown to be anti-inflammatory. 2/ Image
Apr 17 10 tweets 4 min read
#Metformin- A wonder drug!

➡️ A NEW study finds Metformin could prevent a form of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in people at high risk of the disease.
Researchers investigated how metformin could prevent abnormal blood stem cells w/ genetic changes from progressing to AML 1/ Image Metformin impacts mitochondrial metabolism, & these pre-cancerous cells need this energy to keep growing. By blocking this process, researchers stop the cells from expanding & progressing towards AML, whilst also reversing other effects of mutated DNMT3A gene 2/ Image
Apr 16 12 tweets 4 min read
Does SARS-CoV-2 Possess “Allergen-Like” Epitopes?

It has been reported that repeated administration of some COVID vaccines induces high IgG4 levels.

New research revealed a surprising IgE anti-RBD response after both natural infection & several SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. 1/ Image Presence of IgG4 & IgE in COVID-19 suggests that the virus may induce an “allergic-like” response to evade immune surveillance, leading to a shift from Th1 to Th2 cells, which promotes tolerance to the virus & potentially contributes to chronic infection & may be LongCovid 2/ Image
Apr 15 12 tweets 4 min read
Cells are swapping their mitochondria. What does this mean for our health?

Researchers are studying why Mitochondria, the energy factories are moving between cells and whether the process can be harnessed to treat cancer and other diseases. 1/. Image It turns out that mitochondria can actually be transferred to other cells if needed.

Mitochondria move between different cells in 3 ways-through nanotubes, in extracellular bubble-shaped vesicles, or by free floating through the blood. 2/ Image
Apr 12 5 tweets 2 min read
SARS-CoV-2 has been widely reported to cause retinal pathological changes and to infect the embryonic retina. The infection of host cells by SARS-CoV-2 is primarily mediated through spike (S) protein, which also plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2. 1/ Image Spike protein exposure was studied in human embryonic stem cell-derived retinal organoids (hEROs) at various stages of retinal development. Immunofluorescence, RNA sequencing, and RT-PCR were used to determine how S protein exposure affects retinal development early and late 2/ Image
Apr 11 12 tweets 4 min read
Researchers have identified a new set of genes that contribute to the risk of Parkinson's disease (PD), which opens the door to previously untapped drug targets for treating PD.

PD is the 2nd most common neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer's disease. 1/ Image A longstanding mystery in PD has been why some people carrying pathogenic variants that increase their risk of PD go on to develop the disease, while others who also carry such variants do not. The prevailing theory has suggested additional genetic factors may play a role 2/ Image
Apr 11 6 tweets 2 min read
A new study finds certain bacteria living in nose (nasal microbiome) may influence how likely someone is to get a COVID-19 infection. These bacteria can change crucial proteins the virus needs to enter human cells, explaining why some people are more susceptible to COVID 1/ Image Post-infection ACE2 and TMPRSS2 expression in the upper respiratory tract has been linked to increased disease severity among adults, and higher post-infection ACE2 expression has been linked to increased secondary transmission among adults,and risk of infection in children. 2/ Image
Apr 9 10 tweets 3 min read
Tackling the 'silent pandemic': Study puts first #LongCOVID treatment on horizon!

Researchers have shown a new drug compound can prevent long COVID symptoms in mice—a landmark finding that could lead to a future treatment for the debilitating condition 1/ Image The world-first study found mice treated with the antiviral compound, developed by a multidisciplinary research team at WEHI, institute were protected from long-term brain and lung dysfunction—key symptoms of long COVID. 2/ Image
Apr 8 7 tweets 3 min read
A potent Covid-19 vaccine in the making!

The RBD of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein often mutates to help it evade immunity.

➡️ A modified COVID vaccine (SΔRBD) lacking the spike’s RBD showed strong lung protection, even better than mRNA vaccine in macaques. 1/ Image In order to steer the immune response away from RBD epitopes to more conserved domains, researchers generated S glycoprotein trimers without RBD and stabilized them by formaldehyde cross-linking. 2/ Image
Apr 7 5 tweets 2 min read
A man who had recovered from COVID and tested negative on nasopharyngeal swab was found to have SARS-CoV-2 spike protein in his small intestine, especially in ulcerated areas. 1/ Image This was associated with increased Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) and Fibronectin expression, as well as structural changes in intercellular junctions between intestinal cells. 2/ Image
Apr 7 8 tweets 3 min read
A NEW nasal spray H5N1 vaccine!

Researchers have pioneered an influenza virus vector-based nasal spray vaccine platform and developed a nasal spray H5N1 avian influenza vaccine. 1/ Image Genetic surveillance has identified mutations that enhance H5N1's affinity for human upper respiratory cells, raising concerns that further adaptation or recombination with seasonal flu could significantly increase the risk of a pandemic. 2/ Image