AstraZeneca Vaccine and clots: this important paper from Germany proves that VITT is not the result of cross-reactivity between anti-spike antibodies and platelet factor 4 (PF4).

See thread and links below https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-404769/v1

VITT is vaccine-induced thrombotic thrombocytopenia, an extremely rare and serious complication with low platelet count & unusual clot formation.

This is being extensively discussed in the context of AstraZeneca’s COVID vaccine.

This thread explains the research above.

1/n

The researchers’ findings also suggest that PF4 antibodies are likely an “innocent bystander” in many patients. In other words, their presence alone does not predict disease.

In fact, 9 of 10 COVID-19 patients who had thrombosis did not have PF4 antibodies.

2/n

For instance, even people without history of COVID-19 or vaccination or VITT had the same PF4 antibodies.

People who recovered from COVID-19, and those who had VITT, also had PF4 antibodies.

However, those with VITT had HIGHER titers of PF4 antibodies.

3/n

This might even be a secondary effect, like more firemen being seen on the scene of a severe fire. (These firemen had nothing to do with the cause of the fire)

Those with VITT had symptoms of an unusually intense inflammatory reaction within 8 to 12 hours of vaccination.

4/n

This suggests rapid activation of innate immunity - among those who developed VITT.

The paper concludes that PF4 antibodies do not cross react with spike protein antibodies, and that an unknown mechanism is responsible for VITT.

Presenting a feasible hypothesis:

5/n

The rare inadvertent direct intravenous injection of adenoviruses (the number per vaccine dose is 5000 million) into the bloodstream is known to directly infect platelets, which are then sequestered in large quantities by the Kupffer cells in the liver.

6/n

This is known to cause an immediate drop in platelet count.

(See my tweets yesterday for references. I have linked them at the end of this thread)

7/n

Kupffer cells are essentially liver macrophages that suddenly get exposed to a massive antigen load: that is platelets filled with adeno viruses. It is possible that these macrophages set off a rapid immune response.

8/n

This response could include high titres of PF4 antibodies as part of adaptive immunity, leading to massive activation of the remaining platelets throughout the body, causing a pro-thrombotic effect by endothelial activation (This is a hypothesis, not part of the above paper)

9/n

Previous paper from 2007 on the topic of adenoviruses and platelets

10/n https://twitter.com/rajeevjayadevan/status/1381161912046526464

Paper by Dr James Wilson, University of Pennsylvania from 2001, explaining the fatal reaction that can happen in some individuals who receive intravenous adenovirus vectors

11/n https://twitter.com/rajeevjayadevan/status/1381155433927254017

Inadvertent intravenous injection is possible if people continue to give IM injections blindly and using the wrong technique. (See attached picture from Reuters that was meant to showcase vaccination process)

The dose injected for COVID-19 is 5,00000,00000 adeno viruses.

12/n https://twitter.com/rajeevjayadevan/status/1377911674427019265

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