COVID-19 Roundup: The Common Cold, Biomarkers, Known Drugs
The Common Cold
According to a recent study, exposure to common cold coronaviruses may help to prime the immune system to recognize and fight off SARS-CoV-2.
The study fthey found that samples from patients with no exposure to SARS-CoV-2 nevertheless produced T cells that were reactive against, as well as against 4 types of common cold coronaviruses, suggesting that previous exposure to the common cold could induce cross-reactive T cell memory.
“We knew there was pre-existing reactivity, and this study provides very strong direct molecular evidence that memory T cells can 'see' sequences that are very similar between common cold coronaviruses and SARS-CoV-2,” they said in an accompanying press release.
Biomarkers
A blood test from researchers at George Washington University identifies 5 biomarkers that are associated with greater likelihood of clinical deterioration and death among patients infected with COVID-19.
They evaluated data from 299 patients from GW Hospital between March 12 and May 9, 2020. Of the 299, they were able to evaluate all 5 biomarkers (IL-6, D-dimer, CRP, LDH and ferritin) in 200 patients. They found that elevated levels of these biomarkers was linked to inflammation and bleeding and was an independent risk factor for ICU admission, ventilatory support, and death. The highest risk was seen in patients with LDH levels greater than 1200 units/l and D-dimer levels greater than 3 μg/ml.
“Laboratory markers of inflammation and coagulopathy can help clinicians identify patients who are at a high risk for clinical deterioration. Future directions of research could focus on the temporal variability of these biomarkers and outcomes in COVID-19 patients, as well as, the effect of treatment with full dose anticoagulation,” they concluded.
Known Medications as Potential Treatment Options
According to recent research, two long-known pharmacological options for the treatment of alcoholism and breast cancer could be effective against SARS-CoV-2.
The researchers used a special model of SARS-CoV-2 to identify candidates among known medications that could effectively treat the virus. They purposely did not focus on previously established receptor sites on the virus’s M pro protein, and instead examined its entire surface.
They found that disulfiram, a drug commonly used to treat alcoholism, and neratinib, which the FDA approved as an adjuvant treatment of breast cancer in 2017, were both potentially effective for the treatment of the virus.
—Michael Potts
References:
Mateus J, Grifoni A, Tarke A, et al. Selective and cross-reactive SARS-CoV-2 T cell epitopes in unexposed humans. Published online August 4, 2020. Science. doi: 10.1126/science.abd3871
Exposure to common cold coronaviruses can teach the immune system to recognize SARS-CoV-2. News release. La Jolla, California; La Jolla Institute for Immunology: August 4, 2020. https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2020-08/ljif-etc080320.php
Ayanian S, Reyes J, Lynn L, Teufel K. The association between biomarkers and clinical outcomes in novel coronavirus pneumonia in a US cohort. Published online July 17, 2020. Future Medicine. https://doi.org/10.2217/bmm-2020-0309
Stroylov VS, Svitanko IV. Computational identification of disulfiram and neratinib as putative SARS-CoV-2 main protease inhibitors. Mendeleev Communications. 2020;30(4):419-420. Doi: 10.1016/j.mencom.2020.07.004