Researchers find way to make better vaccines for COVID-19

A doctor vaccinates the Chinese Sinovac vaccine.
EP

New research published in the journal “mBio” shows that Hamsters were inoculated with protein S mutants from SARS-CoV-2 Show resistance to infection Posterior with both parental lineage and alpha and gamma variants. Research is revealing the potential benefits of S-protein mutations as immunomodulators (antigens that can trigger an immune response).

Previous research has shown that SARS-CoV-2 S protein binds to the host cell receptor, facilitating virus entry. Research has also shown that SARS-CoV-2 variants that lose the furin cleavage site in the spike protein (S-protein mutations) rapidly arise during replication in Vero cells (the cell lineage used in cell culture).

“SARS-CoV-2 S protein mutants can be used as immunity Vaccines Attenuated neighborhood, similar to the current yellow fever vaccinesays Dr. Hirofumi Sawa, the study’s principal investigator in the Department of Molecular Pathology at the International Institute for Zoonoses Control, Hokkaido University, in Sapporo, Japan.

In the new study, researchers proceeded to Characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 S protein mutants through experiments With animals that use hamsters. All infected animals were kept in isolators at Biosecurity Level 3 facilities.

Study lead author Dr. Michito Sasaki confirms, “Our experiments were conducted according to established guidelines. As we had to transport the animals with insulators to the safety compartment for observation, we performed many heavy tasks on a daily basis.” .

The researchers found that SARS-CoV-2 protein mutations are weak variants but may induce protective immunity Against infection with clinical strains of SARS-CoV-2. “Because these variants rapidly emerge through the spread of SARS-CoV-2 in some cell lines, including Vero cells, researchers should be alert to the possibility of unexpected contamination with these variants,” notes Sasaki.

Researchers say that Your next steps are to discover a mechanism COVID-19 Severe illness and development of new treatment strategies for COVID-19. “To overcome the COVID-19 pandemic, a multisectoral and multidisciplinary approach under the One Health umbrella is essential,” says Sawa.