The AstraZeneca vaccine causes thrombosis, albeit rare. British scientists may now have discovered the link between the rare blood clots and the Covid vaccine developed by AstraZeneca. A protein in the blood was accused that would be ‘attracted’ to one of the key components of the preparation conceived in Oxford. The question is fundamental because the vaccine has been reduced in use against Covid-19 precisely because of these rare clots. The team, as reported by the BBC, has shown in detail how a protein present in the blood is attracted to a key component of the viral vector compound, triggering a chain reaction that involves the immune system and which can culminate in dangerous clots. Alan Parker, one of the Cardiff University researchers, told the BBC: “What we have is the trigger, but there are many steps that need to happen after we still haven’t cleared up.” The study was published in the journal Science Advances.
Covid vaccines and thrombosis, what we know so far
by Sabina Pignataro
The first to report the cases of thrombus were the Germans from the University of Greifswald who discovered vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT). The German researchers continued their research for months and on 21 April they published a research that identified the possible trigger of thrombosis in a component of the protein. The cases were very rare: according to the EMA, in May there were 316 cases of thrombosis out of 36 million vaccinated with AstraZeneca; and one case of thrombosis in 2.1 million vaccinated with Johnson & Johnson.
Alberto Mantovani: “Against viruses we are like climbers with stones in backpacks”
by Letizia Gabaglio
In the new research now published in the scientific journal Science Advances, reveals that the outer part of adenovirus, the viral vector used in the Covid vaccine, AstraZeneca, attracts the platelet factor four protein like a magnet. To detect this reaction, the scientists used a technique called cryoelectronic microscope that allows to have images of the adenovirus at the molecular level. An important step to unravel the underlying mechanisms of vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia.
Covid: let’s go beyond the third dose and think about new vaccines
by Antonio Cassone *
“Although the research is not definitive, it offers interesting insights and AstraZeneca is exploring ways to exploit these findings as part of our efforts to remove this extremely rare side effect,” explained a spokesman for the Anglo-Swedish pharmaceutical company. Oxford University, on the other hand, declined to comment on the research. According to AstraZeneca, its vaccine has saved more than a million lives worldwide and prevented 50 million Covid cases. But in the wake of cases of blood clots, albeit rare, the use of this type of vaccine around the world has been reduced, and vaccines developed with the messenger RNA technique are now used for boosters.
The cases were very rare: according to the EMA, in May there were 316 cases of thrombosis out of 36 million vaccinated with AstraZeneca; and one case of thrombosis in 2.1 million vaccinated with Johnson & Johnson.
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