Chain Reaction Leads to Dangerous Clots
Scientists believe they were able to identify a mechanism leading, in rare cases, to the appearance of blood clots after vaccination with the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine. A team of researchers from the United Kingdom and the United States has demonstrated how a key component of the vaccine attracts blood protein. Experts believe this triggers a chain reaction involving the immune system that can lead to dangerous clots.
Scientists believe they may have discovered the cause of the extremely rare blood clot complications associated with the Oxford / AstraZeneca COVID vaccine, The Guardian writes.
According to a group of researchers from Cardiff (Wales, UK) and the United States, the reaction can be traced back to the adenovirus used by the vaccine to deliver the genetic material of the coronavirus into cells, binds to a specific protein in the blood known as platelet factor 4 (PF4). …
The researchers believe this could trigger a chain reaction in the immune system that can lead to blood clots, a condition known as vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (HITT).
Professor Alan Parker of Cardiff University School of Medicine said: “Vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia occurs only in very rare cases because a complex chain of events must occur to cause this extremely rare side effect. Our data confirm that PF4 can bind to adenoviruses, which is an important step in elucidating the mechanism underlying HITT. Building a mechanism can help prevent and cure this disorder. ”
“We hope,” says Professor Parker, “that our findings can be used to better understand the rare side effects of these new vaccines and perhaps to develop new and improved vaccines to turn the tide in this global pandemic.”
Scientists from AstraZeneca also took part in the study, which was published in the journal Science Advances. A company spokesperson told the BBC: “While the study is not conclusive, it offers interesting insights, and AstraZeneca is exploring ways to use these results as part of our efforts to eliminate this extremely rare side effect.” The company representatives emphasize that blood clots are more likely to occur due to the coronavirus than due to the vaccine.
As you know, fears associated with the possible appearance of blood clots after an injection with the Astra Zeneca vaccine led to the fact that in many countries it began to be replaced with other vaccines. Scientists in Cardiff have received emergency government funding to find the cause of blood clots, the BBC said.
While most COVID-19 vaccines inject a fragment of the coronavirus genetic code into the human body to train the immune system, AstraZeneca used adenovirus for this purpose (in particular, the chimpanzee cold virus). Researchers believe adenovirus may be associated with blood clots. Using cryoelectron microscopy, the scientists obtained images of the adenovirus with molecular detail.
According to the researchers, the outer surface of the adenovirus, like a magnet, attracts the protein “platelet factor 4” (substances that promote blood clotting). The body begins to attack these platelets, mistaking them for part of a foreign adenovirus to which they have attached, tells the BBC about the findings of scientists. At the same time, antibodies are released into the blood, sticking to platelets and causing the formation of dangerous blood clots.
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