2023-08-24 06:51:00
VIB researchers examined more than 500 patients with Covid-19, in collaboration with Ghent University Hospital, Ghent University and the Free University of Brussels. The cause of lung damage in patients with a severe form of Covid-19 turns out to be the pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-6, which affects our complement system.
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Normally, the complement system, itself part of innate immunity, effectively removes pathogens and dead cells from our body. But in extreme Covid cases, this process can get out of whack, leading to injury.
The complement system is a set of proteins, mainly secreted by the liver. “However, we found that the lungs also started to produce a lot of complement system proteins,” explains pulmonologist and immunologist Bart Lambrecht. The uncontrolled activity of these proteins damages the pulmonary alveoli, making it difficult to absorb oxygen.
Researchers are hoping for new treatments and have already had positive results with interleukin 6 drugs. These are typically used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, but also appear to be effective in the case of Covid-19. Further studies are still needed to determine whether direct blocking of the complement system may also be beneficial, according to Dr. Bart Lambrecht.
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