The next generation of Covid-19 vaccines could no longer target the coronavirus protein, as current vaccines do, but the challenge immune response against so-called “reproductive proteins”, which play a vital role in the early stages of virus multiplication in the human body, as announced by scientists in Britain.
The design of such a new type of vaccine will probably make it possible to destroy the coronavirus immediately, before causing extensive infection in the body, which will help significantly in reducing its spread. In fact, researchers led by Professor Mala Maini and Dr. Leo Swadling of the Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology at University College London (UCL), who published the paper in Nature, hope that their discovery could a “pan-vaccine” effective against all coronaviruses, including those that cause colds.
The discovery was based on the study of people (healthcare in London hospitals) who they did not seem to get sick at all from coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, although it was frequently exposed to it. Something similar has been found to happen to some people, as even though all members of a family are infected, someone remains unharmed in the home.
THE further analysis showed that in fact some people (about 10% to 15% of those studied), instead of completely avoiding virus infection, have a very low level of asymptomatic infection which is not detectable in tests and which, however, creates elevated levels of T cells specifically against the coronavirus, thus “clearing” the virus immediately.
“Our research shows that people who are naturally resistant to SARS-CoV-2 infection produce memory T cells that target the replicating proteins of infected cells. These proteins are needed in the early stages of the cycle,” she said. “Once the virus enters a cell, it is common to all coronaviruses and is unlikely to change or mutate.”
Therefore, he added, “a vaccine that would push T cells to recognize and target infected cells that express such proteins, essential for coronavirus success, would be more effective in the early eradication of SARS-CoV.” “While it may have the added benefit of also identifying other coronaviruses that are infecting people today or may do so in the future.”
Next-generation vaccines can combine these two goals: both the coronavirus protein that “pierces” the cells and infects them, as well as the reproductive proteins that it immediately uses to multiply. According to the researchers, in this way future vaccines will provide additional immune protection.
“Such a dual-action vaccine will provide more flexibility against mutations, but also longer-lasting immunity,” said Maine.
Link to the scientific publication:
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-021-04186-8
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