New research works underscore the role of autoimmunity in the severity of Covid-19

A year after the official confirmation of human-to-human transmission of SARS-CoV-2, our understanding of Covid-19 still has far too many gaps, especially with regards to the wide range of clinical presentation of the disease. From ‘long Covid’ to the fact that people with a similar predisposition to the disease have been affected differently, the pandemic has posed many riddles. But, as Nature reports, we may not be far from a clearer overall picture.

Many research works point at a common problem—autoimmunity, or the immune system attacking the body itself.

The immune system’s role in Covid-19 severity has been investigated, with a focus on the cytokine, and later, bradykinin, storms.

However, now, evidence gleaned by scientists working on separate studies points in the direction of auto-antibodies: renegade elements of the immune system in some individuals that either impede the immune system or launch attacks on specific proteins that they recognise that are key to vital organs and, thereby, organ systems.

A study conducted by researchers at the Rockefeller University showed that more than 10% of 987 individuals with severe Covid-19 had autoantibodies that targeted proteins that help bolster defence against pathogens. As researchers look to uncover how exactly SARS-CoV-2 triggers autoimmunity, the fact that there seems to be growing body of evidence pointing at this, new avenues for pharmacological interventions open up.