In vitro studies, more commonly called test-tube studies, are used when you want to see if there’s a relationship between cells and microorganisms. In the case of the researchers in the Netherlands, blood cells, vaccines, and the COVID-19 virus were used. While the laboratory techniques were complex, here’s what they found.

The researchers isolated peripheral blood mononuclear cells from the Buffy coat layer of cells. The Buffy contains primarily white blood cells after centrifugation. The researchers then exposed the white blood cells to the flu vaccine commonly used in the Netherlands for 24-hours. Half the samples were also exposed to the bacille Calmette-Guérin vaccine, typically used for tuberculosis. After a week, the samples were exposed to the COVID-19 virus. The objective was to see if immune system markers were increased after exposure to the virus.

The flu vaccine increased the immune capability of the white blood cells. The addition of the BCG vaccine increased the capability of the immune response. The cells were better able to make cytokines faster. If it happened in humans, the cytokines would be able to respond faster thus reducing the ability of the COVID-19 virus to replicate.

What does this all mean? I’ll finish this on Saturday.

What are you prepared to do today?

        Dr. Chet

Reference: medRxiv preprint doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.10.14.20212498