A study by Imperial College London published on Monday has found that high levels of T-cells from common cold coronaviruses can help protect against COVID-19, which is believed it could inform approaches for second-generation vaccines.
According to Reuters, "Immunity against COVID 19 is a complex picture, and while there is evidence of waning antibody levels six months after vaccination, T-cells are also believed to play a vital role in providing protection."
The study, which started back in September 2020, "looked at levels of cross-reactive T-cells generated by previous common colds in 52 household contacts of positive COVID-19 cases shortly after exposure, to see if they went on to develop infection," according to Monday's report by Reuters summarizing the findings.
"We found that high levels of pre-existing T cells, created by the body when infected with other human coronaviruses like the common cold, can protect against COVID-19 infection," said the study's author Dr. Rhia Kundu.
The authors of the study, published in Nature Communications, "said that the internal proteins of the SARS-CoV-2 virus which are targeted by the T-cells could offer an alternative target for vaccine makers," Reuters report.
"In contrast, the internal proteins targeted by the protective T-cells we identified mutate much less," stated Prof. Ajit Lalvani, the study's co-author.
"Consequently, they are highly conserved between the various SARS-CoV-2 variants, including Omicron. New vaccines that include these conserved, internal proteins would therefore induce broadly protective T-cell responses that should protect against current and future SARS-CoV-2 variants."
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