Quebec discovery could help decrease the mortality rate of COVID-19

 A researcher in Quebec hopes to have achieved a breakthrough in COVID-19 research that could lead to a better immune response for those infected with the novel coronavirus, and ultimately help lower the mortality rate.

Jérôme Estaquier, a researcher at the Université of Laval Research Center in Quebec City, has been working in the field of AIDS research for 30 years.

Estaquier and an international team found that the reduction and loss of T lymphocytes (T cells), which is a type of white blood cell, is the same in those with COVID-19 and those who have AIDS.

“We found that those with COVID-19 that are in the intensive care unit develop abnormal lymphocyte cell life, suggesting that this may have an impact for an individual against COVID-19,” Estaquier said.

“During COVID infection, 60 per cent of patients develops lymphopenia, which means that we are losing lymphocytes, which are essential to fight microbial viruses like COVID-19. So if you are losing lymphocyte it impacts the person to develop a strong immune response.”

T lymphocytes cells are vital to destroying any virus that enters the body. With the rapid death of these cells, those infected with COVID do not have an adequate immune response.

With this discovery, Estaquier says we can be more proactive for those with COVID-19 in intensive care.

“They are able to use a small compound to restore and to prevent cell death in COVID-19 patients. So by suggesting that we are improving the capacity of T cells in someone, this may have some beneficial effect in the immune response against COVID.”

The research team believes this could allow for early treatment to support the immune defence for those with AIDS as well.

“This is our next step, of course, to develop a clinical trial to assess whether the compound that we have written about in this manuscript can prevent immune deficiency that we observe in the severe disease of a patient.”

Estaquier says he hopes his research will be sustained and funded, as this discovery is important to provide a new therapeutic approach, one that will allow for a better immune response for those who would otherwise be in critical care.

The research was published in the journal “Cell Death and Differentiation.”

https://montreal.citynews.ca/2022/02/02/quebec-discovery-mortality-covid19/