WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. An international team of researchers at Purdue University unexpectedly found that a biochemical pathway, known as the immune complement system is triggered in lung cells by the virus, which might explain why the virus is so difficult to treat. The new insights could bring better treatments for COVID-19 cases.
The system consists of small proteins produced by the liver that aids the body’s antibodies in the fight against blood-borne pathogens. In the past few years, it’s been discovered that this system can work inside cells and not just the bloodstream. Surprisingly, the researchers found that this response is also triggered in small structures of the lungs.