SARS-CoV-2

[Autophagy] Emerging evidence suggests that SARS-CoV-2 could trigger pyroptosis, a form of inflammatory programmed cell death characterized by the activation of inflammasomes and caspase 1 and the formation of transmembrane pores by gasdermin D.

[Cell] In subjects ∼6 months post-vaccination, 90% and 87% of memory T cell responses were preserved against variants on average by AIM assay, and 84% and 85% preserved against Omicron.

[Cell] The authors demonstrated that breakthrough infections induced serum binding and neutralizing antibody responses that were markedly more potent, durable and resilient to spike mutations observed in variants than those in subjects who received only two doses of vaccine.

[Nature Communications] Investigators reported an increase in circulating extracellular vesicles that expressed ACE2 in plasma of COVID-19 patients, which levels were associated with severe pathogenesis.

[Science Advances] Cannabidiol (CBD) and its metabolite 7-OH-CBD, but not THC or other congeneric cannabinoids tested, potently blocked SARS-CoV-2 replication in lung epithelial cells.

[NPJ Vaccines] The authors demonstrated that intramuscular or intranasal vaccination of Syrian hamsters with COH04S1 induced robust Th1-biased antigen-specific humoral immunity and cross-neutralizing antibodies.