Publications by authors named "A Heaps"
T cells are involved in protective immunity against numerous viral infections. Data regarding functional roles of human T cells in SARS-CoV-2 (SARS2) viral clearance in primary COVID-19 are limited. To address this knowledge gap, we assessed samples for associations between SARS2 upper respiratory tract viral RNA levels and early virus-specific adaptive immune responses for 95 unvaccinated clinical trial participants with acute primary COVID-19 aged 18-86 years old, approximately half of whom were considered at high risk for progression to severe COVID-19.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Anti-SARS-CoV-2 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) have played a key role as an anti-viral against SARS-CoV-2, but there is a potential for resistance to develop. The interplay between host antibody responses and the development of monoclonal antibody (mAb) resistance is a critical area of investigation. In this study, we assessed host neutralizing antibody (nAb) responses against both ancestral virus and those with treatment-emergent E484K bamlanivimab resistance mutations.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- Long-acting cabotegravir (CAB-LA) is effective for preventing HIV, but there have been instances of delayed diagnoses and resistance to integrase inhibitors in trials.
- A case study involving a 23-year-old gender-nonbinary individual showed that after a brief interruption in CAB-LA, HIV became detectable with an INSTI resistance mutation only identified through a sensitive research assay.
- The findings highlight the need for faster HIV testing and access to CAB-LA, even without insurance, to improve early detection and reduce the risk of resistance.
Article Synopsis
- The study evaluates two different antibody detection assays (MSD and Bio-Plex Pro) for their effectiveness in measuring antibodies against SARS-CoV-2, focusing on various antibody types (IgG, IgM, IgA) and antigens (RBD, N).
- Results showed high concordance (90.5% for anti-RBD IgG and 87% for anti-N IgG) in determining sample status as positive or negative across the two assays, indicating they can reliably assess immune responses.
- The research also found that participants treated with the monoclonal antibody bamlanivimab showed reduced IgG responses compared to those given a placebo, suggesting the treatment affects immune response
Article Synopsis
- Therapeutic monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), specifically bamlanivimab targeting the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, have been shown to alter the memory B cell (MBC) responses in individuals already infected with the virus.
- The treatment skewed MBCs to favor non-receptor binding domain (RBD) epitopes, resulting in a weaker affinity for RBD memory B cells compared to those who received a placebo.
- Even after mRNA COVID-19 vaccination, these changes persisted, indicating that mAb treatment can have lasting effects on immune memory and how the immune system recognizes specific viral epitopes.