The antidote for Covid-19 is in the human body!
Covid-19 has caused a major panic worldwide. Many experts say that it will become a periodic epidemic in the future. The key to controlling it is to find an antidote for it. At this stage, in addition to accelerating the development of effective vaccines, antibodies and drugs, in fact there are many studies that have proven that the "natural killer cell (NK)" in our body is a very good choice!
"NK cells, a type of immune cells, are the vanguard of the immune system and constitute the first line of immune defense against pathogens. Unlike T cells and B cells, "NK cells" need to be "educated" and "learned" by the immune system in order to effectively defend themselves against foreign disease-causing agents. Normal healthy "NK cells" are able to distinguish themselves from healthy cells through the MHC class I (major histocompatibility complex), avoiding damage to normal healthy cells and distinguishing abnormal cells for elimination. imply put, most cells are capable of normal MHC class I expression, but "NK cells" can destroy such cells when they are infected with a virus or become cancerous, resulting in abnormal expression of MHC class I molecules. In addition, "NK cells" are also the main "fighters" in the body responsible for destroying abnormal cells such as aging, viral infections, and tumors. "NK cells" not only identify and destroy "enemies", but also enhance the body's immune function. Generally speaking, "NK cells" are usually in a dormant state. Once activated, they will penetrate into tissues and secrete perforin and necrosis factors to destroy infected or mutated cells, preventing more viruses from replicating or cancer cells from arising. In addition to their powerful scavenging function, "NK cells" also have a strong immunomodulatory ability that interacts with other immune cells in the body to regulate the body's immune function and enable the body to fight viruses or cancer cells.
Since "NK cells" are not "foreign" to the body, this method of treating diseases with human cells instead of relying on chemically synthesized drugs is generally less likely to have side effects. Covid-19 is an immune-disrupting virus, and a decrease in lymphocytes can be observed clinically in patients with Covid-19. We can separate the NK cells from the blood, expand them in vitro, activate them, and then infuse them back to the body. "NK cells" will then act in the body to destroy the virus-infected cells. Therefore, theoretically, NK cells are effective in the prevention and treatment of Covid-19.