Scientists uncover a molecule that can help coronavirus escape antibodies

Researchers have found that a natural molecule can effectively block the binding of a subset of human antibodies to SARS-CoV-2. The discovery may help explain why some COVID-19 patients can become severely ill despite having high levels of antibodies against the virus. In their research, published in Science Advances on 22 April 2021, teams from the Francis Crick Institute, in collaboration with researchers at Imperial College London, Kings College London and UCL (University College London), found that biliverdin and bilirubin, natural molecules present in the body, can suppress the binding of antibodies to the coronavirus spike. As vaccines are rolled out globally, understanding immunity to SARS-CoV-2 and also how the virus evades antibodies is critically important. However, there are still many unknowns. The ability of the immune system to control the infection and the quality of the antibody response are highly variable, and not well correlated, between individuals. The Crick researchers were involved...