Question

In Covid-19 disease, what is the role of interferon and the adaptive immune response?

Answer 1

Interferons employ a various cytokines namely subtypes.Plasmacytoid dendritic cells recognizes viral components by pattern recognition receptors(PRR) and secretes these cytokines.First interferon produced during a viral encounter is IFN-I.Their receptor is IFNAR which is resent at the plasma membrane in most cell types.Interaction between the IFNAR receptors and IFN-I leads to phosphorylarion and relocalization of various transcription factors into the nucleus where the interferon stimulated genes are activated.They affect the viral replication and leads to hypo cell metabolism and secretion of cytokines and further activates adaptive immunity.SARS-CoV being of viral origin can be treated by activity of interferon.IFN alpha is found to be more potent than IFN beta.

SARS-CoV mainly affects the human respiratory system and have high morbidity and mortality.It is found that a potent antibody response against the spike protein is highly effective against this pneumonia causing virus.However the antibody titers and affects only the homologous strains.The memory B cells are short lived in recovering patients.Studies suggests that the memory CD8 T cells accumulates in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid,spleen and lungs upon vaccination with recombinant vaccinia virus encoding S436 or S525.On subsequent encounter with the lethal virus these memory CD8 cells produced multiple effector cytokines,Tumour necrosis factor alpha,IL 2 and various cytotoxic molecules, all of which work together to reduce the viral population in the host.