The hottest Antibodies Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Science Topics

COVID Vaccines Impair Response to Variants of Concern

Harnessing the Power of Nutrients ā€¢ 1258 implied HN points ā€¢ 25 Feb 22
šŸ„ Health & Wellness COVID vaccines Immune Response Variants Antibodies Natural Immunity
  1. COVID vaccines impact the response to variants of concern by creating immune bias towards the original strain, affecting responses to new variants.
  2. Understanding 'original antigenic sin' can help explain how previous infections or vaccinations influence the immune system's response to subsequent exposures.
  3. The study suggests that natural immunity, including mucosal IgA, may have superior abilities to adapt to new variants compared to vaccine-induced immunity, highlighting the importance of considering different aspects of immunity.

Why do so many people have ultra-high levels of anti-spike antibodies years after receiving Covid mRNA jabs?

Unreported Truths ā€¢ 61 implied HN points ā€¢ 20 Dec 24
šŸ„ Health Politics Vaccines Public Health Medical Research Disease Prevention Antibodies
  1. Many people are showing very high levels of anti-spike antibodies long after getting COVID mRNA vaccines. It's surprising to see that these levels can remain so elevated for years.
  2. The persistent presence of these antibodies raises concerns about potential long-term health effects. We really don't know yet what this means for people's health.
  3. There are important questions we need to answer about why some people have such high antibody levels. Understanding this is key to figuring out if there are any risks involved.

Update on RSV: The Virus, Vaccines for Older Adults & Antibodies for Kids

Are You Okay? ā€¢ 99 implied HN points ā€¢ 20 Aug 23
šŸ„ Health & Wellness Vaccines Antibodies Prevention Treatment
  1. RSV is a virus that primarily affects infants, young children, and older adults, leading to severe respiratory issues like bronchiolitis and pneumonia.
  2. RSV season typically starts in the fall, peaks in the winter, and varies in intensity and timing from year to year and by region.
  3. New vaccines and antibody injections are available to help protect against RSV, with options for older adults, pregnant women, and babies/toddlers, aiming to reduce severe outcomes and transmission.

Alternatives to Zookeeping

De Novo ā€¢ 121 implied HN points ā€¢ 03 Oct 23
šŸ”¬ Science Biology Biomedical Proteins Antibodies Research
  1. Synthetic biology can provide alternatives to traditional antibodies in biomedical research to improve progress and reproducibility.
  2. Current production and use of antibodies have intrinsic and extrinsic challenges, such as compatibility issues, cost, and reproducibility concerns.
  3. Moving towards new antibody technologies, like recombinant antibodies and phage display, could lead to better solutions in biomedical research, though adoption may require top-down support from funding agencies.
Get a weekly roundup of the best Substack posts, by hacker news affinity:

Engineering Antibodies to Avoid Escape Mutants

Axial ā€¢ 22 implied HN points ā€¢ 03 Mar 24
šŸ”¬ Science Antibodies Viral Infections Engineering Immune System
  1. Combining antibodies directed at different viral targets helps neutralize infections like hepatitis B virus and RSV more effectively.
  2. Serial passage of virally infected cells during preclinical development helps ensure the continued efficacy of antibody combinations.
  3. Engineering antibodies through genetic manipulation can enhance effector functions and improve target specificity, increasing their efficacy in fighting infections.

An Fc engineering approach that modulates antibody-dependent cytokine release without altering cell-killing functions

Axial ā€¢ 7 implied HN points ā€¢ 17 Feb 24
šŸ”¬ Science Research Engineering Antibodies Immunotherapy
  1. An innovative Fc engineering approach can adjust antibody-dependent cytokine release without impacting cell-killing functions. This shows that manipulating cytokine release independently is possible.
  2. Different IgG isotypes have varying abilities to stimulate proinflammatory cytokine release. This indicates the importance of isotype selection beyond just cytotoxicity.
  3. Engineering antibodies to selectively engage FcγRs can potentially enhance immune responses. This opens up new possibilities for optimizing antibody immunotherapies against cancer.

IgA Antibodies, Vitamin A, and COVID-19

Harnessing the Power of Nutrients ā€¢ 0 implied HN points ā€¢ 11 Jun 20
šŸ„ Health & Wellness Antibodies COVID-19 Nutrition Research
  1. Different types of antibodies have specific functions in the immune response, with IgA playing a crucial role in protecting mucous membranes.
  2. Current COVID-19 antibody tests focus on IgM and IgG, but new findings suggest IgA may be key in defense against the virus.
  3. Vitamin A deficiency can impact IgA levels, potentially affecting the body's ability to fight infections like COVID-19.

Mayo Clinic Data on Long-Term Shedding, Antibodies, and Positive/Negative Flipping

Harnessing the Power of Nutrients ā€¢ 0 implied HN points ā€¢ 04 Jun 20
šŸ„ Health & Wellness Antibodies Disease Prevention
  1. COVID-19 patients may shed the virus for an average of 20 days after their first positive test, with some individuals remaining infected for up to two months.
  2. The presence of IgG antibodies does not definitively indicate the absence of the virus, but typically, people test positive for these antibodies after the virus is no longer detected.
  3. Some individuals experience cycles of switching between positive and negative test results, indicating lingering infection, underscoring the importance of obtaining two consecutive negative tests to confirm recovery.

The Virus Has Mutated to Spread Faster

Harnessing the Power of Nutrients ā€¢ 0 implied HN points ā€¢ 01 May 20
šŸ„ Health & Wellness COVID-19 Infection Antibodies Research Updates
  1. The virus has mutated to spread faster, with the G allele becoming dominant and potentially facilitating easier cell entry and enhanced spread.
  2. The mutation in the spike protein is associated with a slightly higher viral load, but it's uncertain if it impacts the severity of the disease.
  3. The rapid mutations of the virus could pose challenges for immunity development, herd immunity, and vaccine effectiveness, making it crucial to continue limiting exposure and supporting immune defenses.

Giddy-up for Fall

Are You Okay? ā€¢ 0 implied HN points ā€¢ 01 Nov 21
šŸ„ Health & Wellness Vaccination Testing Antibodies Pandemic
  1. The state of the pandemic in the US is improving, with falling COVID cases, hospitalizations, and deaths due to widespread vaccination and population immunity.
  2. Vaccines and booster shots are crucial for preventing severe illness from COVID, especially for high-risk individuals, and studies show they are effective against death and hospitalization.
  3. The approval of vaccines for kids ages 5-11 is on the horizon, potentially offering relief to parents and helping pave the way for a return to normalcy for children.