B.C. study investigates role of T cells in fighting COVID-19
I’ve given a lot for my career over the years. This time, I’m giving my blood to understand more about how our immune systems fight the coronavirus that has upended our lives.
I volunteered to have my blood tested for T cells as part of a local study on COVID-19 immunity being done by Vancouver research company Immunity Diagnostics.
T cells are a type of white blood cell that finds and destroys virus-infected cells. Immunity Diagnostics has been measuring T cell response in Metro Vancouver residents who have received their first doses of COVID-19 vaccines.
Studies around the world have shown that those who have a good T cell response did not get seriously ill when exposed to the virus.
As the world races to vaccinate as many people as possible, there are still questions about how long the immunity will last and how well the vaccines will work against new variants. That’s where T cells come in.
“Antibodies tend to decrease over time,” said Immunity Diagnostics founder Ismael Samudio. “Two to three boosters for everyone around the world is not sustainable. If we’re lucky, we may be able to have a long-lasting T cell response. If not, we have to figure out how to make vaccines with a long-lasting T cell response.”
Six weeks after my first dose of AstraZeneca, I rolled up my sleeve again to test how well my T cells would launch into virus fighting mode.
The T cell response was measured after blood samples were exposed to the spike protein of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19. After a few days, I received the positive test results.
I was one of 80 per cent of Astrazeneca first dose recipients who showed a strong T cell response. Finally, some good news for our cohort.
As for Pfizer recipients, after one dose, only 20 per cent mounted a strong increase in T cells. Samudio says he was surprised by that, but points to a Pfizer study that indicates two doses are needed to get a comparable T cell response.
My results showed not only do I have a great response to the vaccine, I am one of 40 per cent of Lower Mainland residents tested who have been exposed to the virus or a similar coronavirus in the past – perhaps the common cold.
It looks like a good chunk of the population has some pre-existing immunity.
“That probably bodes well,” Samudio says. “The fact you have those T cells means you have a leg up, a head start.”
Samudio plans to get more samples from volunteers after their second dose and then publish his findings later this year. He says it’s too early to know how much T cell response gives us the protection we need, but he wants to be ready.
“I hope we don't get caught again unprepared for the next one,” he says.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Indian envoy warns of 'big red line,' days after charges laid in Nijjar case
India's envoy to Canada insists relations between the two countries are positive overall, despite what he describes as 'a lot of noise.'
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
With Donald Trump sitting just feet away, Stormy Daniels testified Tuesday at the former president's hush money trial about a sexual encounter the porn actor says they had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
U.S. paused bomb shipment to Israel to signal concerns over Rafah invasion, official says
The U.S. paused a shipment of bombs to Israel last week over concerns that Israel was approaching a decision on launching a full-scale assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah against the wishes of the U.S.
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Northern Ont. woman makes 'eggstraordinary' find
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
Susan Buckner, who played spirited cheerleader Patty Simcox in 'Grease,' dead at 72
Susan Buckner, best known for playing peppy Rydell High School cheerleader Patty Simcox in the 1978 classic movie musical 'Grease,' has died. She was 72.
Jeremy Skibicki has 'uphill battle' to prove he's not criminally responsible in Winnipeg killings: legal analysts
Accused killer Jeremy Skibicki could have a challenging time convincing a judge that he is not criminally responsible for the deaths of four Indigenous women, a legal analyst says.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
Alcohol believed to be a factor in boating incident after 2 men die: N.S. RCMP
Two Nova Scotia men are dead after a boat they were travelling in sank in the Annapolis River in Granville Centre, N.S., on Monday.