Boost Innate Immunity

Luminnova Health aims to enhance innate immune defense by integrating photodynamic therapy (PDT), photobiomodulation (PBM), and the use of specific postbiotics - the P3 Protocol.

IMPORTANCE OF THE INNATE IMMUNity

The innate immune system is the body’s first line of defense against infections like COVID-19 and influenza, responding rapidly to invading pathogens. While robust in young children, it weakens with age and poor health. Innate immune training occurs when immune cells are reprogrammed after initial exposure, improving future responses. This explains why children get more colds but milder COVID-19 symptoms unlike adults, their innate immunity was naturally stronger despite lacking prior exposure. A well-functioning innate system can often eliminate infections, but when overwhelmed, the adaptive immune system activates, targeting specific antigens like the spike protein with antibodies.

Current CHALLENGES

A strong adaptive immune response can reduce innate immune training by bypassing or shortening the innate systems engagement with a pathogen. When the adaptive immune system quickly produces antibodies and T-cell responses against a specific pathogen, it can neutralize the infection before the innate immune cells undergo sufficient training or reprogramming. This reduces the innate systems exposure to the pathogen, limiting its ability to develop a broader, more generalized response.

Additionally, vaccination or prior infection can prime the adaptive system to react so efficiently that the innate immune system has little need to mount a strong defense. While this is beneficial for immediate protection, it may result in reduced innate adaptability to future infections, particularly those caused by related but distinct variants.

In contrast, repeated natural exposure to infections can strengthen innate immune memory, a process known as trained immunity, which helps the body respond more effectively to diverse threats.

Furthermore, vaccination and severe COVID-19 infection can program the adaptive immune system to focus its response on the original Wuhan strain, even when encountering new variants. This well-known phenomenon is called immune imprinting.

The challenge is the rapid emergence of new variants with numerous spike protein mutations. As a result, antibodies may no longer fit the spike protein’s binding sites, preventing proper neutralization. This creates a further issue, as a mismatched (suboptimal) antibody response can still suppress the innate immune system, reducing its ability to adapt and quickly respond to new variants. Prior virus exposure before vaccination may lower the risk of immune imprinting, except in cases of severe infection.

Another concern is antibody-dependent enhancement of infection (ADEI), seen in dengue and other coronaviruses, where antibodies facilitate viral entry into cells instead of neutralizing it. Both immune imprinting and ADEI may help explain findings from the Cleveland Clinic study by Shrestha et al., which showed a higher COVID-19 infection rate correlated with increased vaccine doses.

Despite the increased infection rate, most cases remain mild due to several factors. First, Omicron causes less severe disease than previous variants. Second, while suboptimal antibodies allow infection, they also prevent severe illness by blocking the fusogenic effect that made Delta particularly dangerous. Although newer strains are more fusogenic, these antibodies still offer protection.

However, a virulent strain could mutate to evade this protection, posing a serious risk if the innate immune system is untrained. Additionally, dominant strains are likely to retain features that enhance antibody-assisted viral entry, making antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE) a potential driver of severe disease. In this scenario, an unprepared immune system could not only fail to stop infection but actively facilitate it, increasing the risk of rapid, severe illness.

So far, no dominant strain has bypassed this protection, but sporadic cases suggest that declining antibody levels may be contributing to hospitalizations and deaths which are rising once again.

POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS?

Lifestyle Practices

Health promoting lifestyle practices play a crucial role in shaping the effectiveness of the innate immune response. These include:

• OPTIMAL NUTRITION: we advise a plant rich diet, free of ultra processed foods with adequate intake of omega 3 fatty acids and vitamin D.

• GUT MICROBIOME: It is estimated that over 70% of our immune cells are located in the gut and proper function of these cells is strongly dependent on the gut microbiome. Studies indicate that a plant rich diet and fermented foods promote a healthy mix of gut microbes. Specific probiotic supplements have also been shown to reduce the frequency of upper respiratory tract infections. Severity of CoVID-19 infection was also correlated with lower microbiome diversity.

• ADEQUATE SLEEP: Sleep disruption can impair immune function. Aim for 7-8 hours of restorative (good quality) sleep per night.

• EXERCISE: frequent, moderate exercise can have a profound beneficial impact on immune function. Even small increases in levels of activity can have significant benefit. On the other hand, prolonged high intensity exercise typical of elite athletes may actually have the opposite effect.

This article focuses on utilizing photodynamic therapy (PDT), photobiomodulation (PBM) and specific evidence based posrbiotics to boost the innate immune system in persons who are most at risk.

Using photodynamic therapy To Boost INNATE IMMUNity

PDT uses a photosensitizing agent activated by light to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS), which destroy cancer cells and infections. Since infected and cancerous cells are more vulnerable to ROS, PDT offers several immune benefits:

1. Rapid Viral Reduction - Destroys viruses within seconds, lowering viral load.

2. Innate Immune Boost - Eliminates infected cells, stimulating innate immune cell production and function, preventing system overload.

3. Innate Training - Activates and reprograms innate cells, enhancing future responses, especially to related pathogens.

Repeated PDT sessions further strengthen innate immunity, leading to broader immune activation.

Click here for more scientific references.

Using photobiomodulation To Boost INNATE IMMUNity

Photobiomodulation (PBM) uses light to stimulate biological processes, traditionally for wound healing and pain relief, but there is also evidence that it can enhance innate immunity.

Like PDT, PBM improves immune cell function and even optimizes specialized receptors involved in immune training. Notably, PBM stimulates mesenchymal stem cell production, supporting immune cell development in the bone marrow. It may also counteract age-related thymus decline, which affects immune response and infection resistance.

Click here for more scientific references.

Postbiotics and the Innate Immune Response 

The body hosts trillions of microbes, mainly in the gut, which influence overall health. Postbiotics, bioactive compounds derived from probiotics, offer similar benefits without the risks associated with live bacteria, making them safer for those with weakened immunity.

Postbiotics reduce inflammation, prevent harmful bacterial growth, and strengthen the gut barrier, preventing toxins from entering the bloodstream. They also support glucose and lipid metabolism, potentially reducing obesity and type 2 diabetes, key risk factors for severe COVID-19.

For immunity, postbiotics like MCC1849 and L-137 enhance defense mechanisms in the gut, lungs, and body by:

• Activating immune cells via pathogen recognition receptors (PRRs).

• Boosting interferon and antiviral chemical production.

• Balancing inflammation to prevent cytokine storms.

• Stimulating virus-attacking phagocytes and natural killer cells.

Clinical trials confirm that postbiotics may reduce viral infection rates and severity.

Click here for scientific references.

THERAPEUTIC RATIONALE of the Luminnova p3 Protocol

The aim of therapy is to leverage the ability of PDT, PBM and postbiotics to boost the innate and an appropriate adaptive immune response to CoVID-19 infection in those at risk of severe disease:

1. Significantly increase the general readiness of the innate immune system to tackle infection 

2. Capitalize on currently high CoVID-19 viral circulation as an opportunity to promote more specific training of the innate system targeted at future CoVID-19 strains as explained above.

3. For persons who experience acute CoVID-19 infections: reduce the negative effects by directly reducing viral load. This can offer protection from the recognized immunosuppressive effects of  CoVID-19 infection including reduced lymphocyte counts.

4. Potentially shift the dominant (mismatched) imprinted immune response away from the original CoVID-19 strain and towards currently circulating variants.

5. Lessen the risk due to other types of infections as these measures have a very broad effect.

HOW CAN THIS BE ACHIEVED?

Sublingual PDT/PBM

Systemic PDT/PBM can be achieved by directing light therapy at appropriate wavelengths and power under the tongue (sublingually) thereby achieving a non-invasive, full body therapy. The light therapy is administered after giving an oral photosensitizer and timed to coincide with its peak absorption.

Patients sometimes report mild, transient myalgia (aching muscles) a few hours following the initial PDT/PBM sessions which appears to be related to activation of the innate immune response. In our experience, these treatments have resulted in expedited recovery of severe CoVID-19 disease, documented eradication of reactivated viruses like cytomegalovirus and significant clinical improvement in Lyme disease.

PBM Sternum

Treatment over the sternum bone in the chest has been recommended as a means of targeting both the thymus gland and the mesenchymal stem cells.

Home Based Treatments

These treatments have traditionally been offered at medical facilities. However, Luminnova Health has designed a home based devices so those most at risk can self-administer sublingual and sternum treatments on a periodic basis to stimulate and maintain an augmented innate immune response, with the aim of reducing the risk of severe infection.

Postbiotic Formulation

Luminnova Health has selected Flora-Matrix Postbiotics as this product provides evidence based dosages of MCC-1849, L-137 and short chain fatty acids.

PLEASE NOTE:

It is important to emphasize that no guarantee can be made regarding the level of protection that can be afforded by taking these measures. Furthermore they should be carried out in conjunction with healthy lifestyle practices plus the use of other prophylactic measures where and when necessary (See Covid / Viral Defense).