According to the researchers, it is also possible to adapt to the vaccine against the corona virus * The vaccine attacks an area of the virus that does not change in evolution
Biodegradable microspheres produced by spray drying. They contain an antibody of the influenza virus and an immune substance. The image was taken with an electron microscope magnified 3,000 times. Photo: Denis Horvat, University of Konstanz
One shot and you'll be protected forever. This is according to the development of a completely new type of vaccine developed in Germany.
So far, the flu vaccine has not provided lasting protection. The reason: flu viruses change very quickly. Every year new virus strains appear against which previous vaccines provide no protection at all or at best, partial protection.
To avoid the need to get vaccinated against the flu every year, scientists in a research network consisting of the University of Konstanz, the University of Tübingen and the Dresden University of Technology are testing an alternative vaccination method. This new method targets comprehensive protection against all known influenza virus mutations and is therefore a promising candidate to allow us to achieve lasting immunity.
In the new method, the vaccines are introduced into the body using completely biodegradable microspheres the size of a small cell, which can serve as the means of reaching antibodies and immune substances. They are produced by spray drying, and in the future it may be possible to give them through nasal sprays instead of vaccination shots.
Unlike the existing flu vaccines, the new method does not activate the production of antibodies against specific flu strains, but rather stimulates T lymphocytes (white blood cells) to mount a general immune response against flu viruses. The research team in Konstanz, led by immunologist Professor Markus Grautrop, is testing the new flu vaccine method in a pre-clinical trial to verify and deepen the results of a previous pilot study, which proved that the procedure is effective in principle. The pre-clinical trial is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education (BMBF) with approximately 1.18 million euros.
"We have very promising indications that the same vaccination method can be applied to the corona virus and other types of viruses. This method can be an approach to create general immunity against virus strains - including all their mutations. In our research on the expansion of the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine, we have already achieved the first successes in collaboration with the companies Trenzyme in Konstanz and Reboks in Dresden.
Why do current vaccines provide only limited protection against the flu?
Every year influenza viruses cause about three to five million cases of severe influenza worldwide, of which 250-500 thousand deaths, especially among small children and the elderly. In Germany (and Israel AB), flu shots are given every year. Since flu viruses change, the vaccine should be prepared every fall - and focus it on the strains of the virus that are expected to spread among the population in the winter. "It is a time-consuming and expensive process. Furthermore, it is quite difficult to motivate a large part of the population to get vaccinated against the flu every year," says Markus Groetrop.
The current flu vaccines mainly activate the production of antibodies against flu viruses. These antibodies are customized to specific flu strains, like a key to a lock. However, if new mutations appear, the key may no longer fit and the antibodies may no longer be effective. "This means that if we come across unexpected virus strains, the seasonal flu vaccine may not be able to protect against the viruses that are actually circulating," explains Markus Groetrop.
The main key against flu viruses
To solve this problem, a new vaccination method is required which not only protects against specific influenza virus strains, but against the influenza virus in general. A promising new vaccination method to achieve general protection against influenza is currently being tested in a preclinical trial in mice. The researchers seek to drive an immune response at the cellular level by stimulating T white blood cells.
T lymphocytes, and especially one of their subforms, the only recently discovered memory T cells, are the "immune memory of the body" together with the antibodies, they recognize the virus and activate an immune response. Markus Groetrop describes the approach: "We train these memory T cells for particles from the internal region of the virus that does not change in all known virus strains." As a result, T lymphocytes recognize the influenza virus in general and thus can fight all known strains. Using the lock-and-key principle for an immune response, Grotrop and his team hope to create a "master key" against influenza viruses.
Key facts:
- A preclinical trial to test an alternative vaccination method against influenza viruses based on microspheres that stimulate T lymphocytes.
- The goal is to design a vaccine that provides a general and lasting vaccine against influenza viruses - including all their mutations.
- The pre-clinical trial is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education (BMBF) with approximately 1.18 million euros.
- Research teams involved:
- Professor Markus Groetrop, Professor of Immunology at the University of Konstanz
- Professor Oliver Plantz, International Institute of Cell Biology (IFIZ), University of Tübingen
- Professor Peter Martus, Institut für Klinische Epidemiologie und angewandte Biometrie, University Hospital Tübingen
- Professor Jacques Roheim, Technical University of Dresden as well as CEO of Reebok
to the notice of the researchers
More of the topic in Hayadan:
6 תגובות
A. What is the connection between the pellets and the flu vaccine? The pellets can be used for any new vaccine.
B. Why antibody on the pellets? This is a molecule of the immune system (ANTIBODY) that locks onto the virus. This could be a revolution in vaccines, but how does an antibody help a vaccine???
third. What is "immune substance" on the pills? Really unclear. Parts of the virus? Adjuvant?
Do not understand. Why wouldn't such a vaccine encourage mutations in a region that doesn't change?
Unfortunately, the Israeli universal flu vaccine failed in the phase 3 experiment. A similar idea: creating a vaccine against a part of the virus that does not change based on the work of the great Prof. Arnon, whose contribution to science is tremendous. If they had succeeded, she would probably have received a Nobel Prize.
"Coronavirus"? In Hebrew: Corona virus 🙂
Immunization that is too broad against viruses is a problem if it is overly successful. Our body should constantly receive viruses from the environment. They may have meaning for our physiology because we all evolved at the same time. Also, viruses are insertion vectors used in gene therapy, so such a vaccine may disrupt more important healing abilities than influenza.
A vaccine against internal proteins of the virus has already been proposed and tested by other vaccine companies.
Such a vaccination can be carried out using the existing methods of RNA DNA carrier virus and so on, and not necessarily using the pellet method...
For example, there are developments of vaccines against the proteins found in the "stems" of the "crown" (crown) of the virus, which are less variable than the external proteins.