Researchers led by the University at Buffalo (UB) have devised a new method that could enhance the effectiveness of vaccines against the novel coronavirus, the virus that is responsible for causing COVID-19.
Jonathan F. Lovell, PhD, an associate professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at UB, is the principal investigator of the study titled “SARS-CoV-2 RBD Neutralizing Antibody Induction is Enhanced by Particulate Vaccination,” published online in the Advanced Materials journal on October 28th, 2020.
COVID-19 has resulted in an uncontrollable global pandemic, which has infected a minimum of 40 million people around the world and resulted in over 220,000 deaths in the United States alone. As the disease started spreading in early 2020, biomedical researchers have been working actively to develop an effective vaccine.
Lovell thinks that one solution could be to develop vaccines that partly imitate the virus structure. One of the proteins on the virus—situated on the characteristic COVID spike—includes a component known as the receptor-binding domain, or RBD, which is its “Achilles heel.” Lovell stated that antibodies against this part of the virus have the ability to neutralize the virus.
It would be appealing if a vaccine could induce high-levels of antibodies against the RBD. One way to achieve this goal is to use the RBD protein itself as an antigen, that is, the component of the vaccine that the immune response will be directed against.
Jonathan F. Lovell, Associate Professor, Department of Biomedical Engineering, University at Buffalo
The researchers speculated that if the RBD is transformed into a nanoparticle (similar in size to the virus itself) rather than retaining it in its natural form as a tiny protein, it would produce higher levels of neutralizing antibodies and its potential to produce an immune response would increase.
Earlier, Lovell’s group had designed a technology that enables the simple transformation of small, purified proteins into particles by using liposomes, or small nanoparticles developed from naturally occurring fatty components.
In the latest study, the team added a unique lipid known as cobalt-porphyrin-phospholipid or CoPoP inside the liposomes.
Image Credit: Facility for Electron Microscopy Research (FEMR) at McGill University.
Post by Amanda Scott, NA CEO. Follow her on twitter @tantriclens
Thanks to Heinz V. Hoenen. Follow him on twitter: @HeinzVHoenen
News
Ethics in Nanomedicine: Key Issues and Principles
Nanomedicine, a branch of nanotechnology, is revolutionizing healthcare by enabling the manipulation of materials at the nanoscale to diagnose, treat, and prevent diseases. Unlike traditional treatments, nanoparticles (NPs) are highly precise in targeting diseased [...]
A call for robust H5N1 influenza preparedness and response
As the global threat of H5N1 influenza looms with outbreaks across species and continents including the U.S., three international vaccine and public health experts say it is time to fully resource and support a [...]
Mucosal COVID-19 boosters outperform mRNA shots in preventing upper airway infections
In a recent study published in Nature Immunology, a team of researchers from the United States used non-human primate models to compare the protection conferred by an intramuscular booster dose of the bivalent messenger ribonucleic acid [...]
How Space Travel Really Changes Astronauts – From the Inside Out
International team reveals previously unknown effects on physiology that could shape the future of long-duration space missions. Researchers have discovered significant changes in the gut microbiome due to spaceflight, which affects host physiology and [...]
Breakthrough in blood stem cell development offers hope for leukemia and bone marrow failure
Melbourne researchers have made a world first breakthrough into creating blood stem cells that closely resemble those in the human body. And the discovery could soon lead to personalized treatments for children with leukemia [...]
Scientists Develop Game-Changing Needle-Free COVID-19 Intranasal Vaccine
A new mucosal COVID-19 vaccine poised to revolutionize the delivery process is especially beneficial for those with a fear of needles. A next-generation COVID-19 mucosal vaccine is set to be a game-changer not only when delivering [...]
Scientists Develop All-in-One Solution To Catch and Destroy “Forever Chemicals”
A new water treatment system developed by UBC researchers efficiently removes and destroys PFAS pollutants using a dual-action catalyst, offering a sustainable and cost-effective solution for water purification challenges. Chemical engineers at the University of [...]
New method accelerates drug discovery from years to months
Researchers from the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine and Cincinnati Children's Hospital have found a new method to increase both speed and success rates in drug discovery. The study, published Aug. 30 in [...]
A new smart mask analyzes your breath to monitor your health
Your breath can give away a lot about you. Each exhalation contains all sorts of compounds, including possible biomarkers for disease or lung conditions, that could give doctors a valuable insight into your health. [...]
Study reveals the role of blood clotting in COVID-19
In a study that reshapes what we know about COVID-19 and its most perplexing symptoms, scientists have discovered that the blood coagulation protein fibrin causes the unusual clotting and inflammation that have become hallmarks [...]
A Novel Cancer Vaccine Combining Nano-11 and ADU-S100
In a recent article published in npj Vaccines, researchers detailed the development of a novel cancer vaccine that combines a plant-derived nanoparticle adjuvant, Nano-11, with a clinically tested STING agonist, ADU-S100. The primary objective was [...]
AI spots cancer and viral infections with nanoscale precision
Researchers have developed an artificial intelligence which can differentiate cancer cells from normal cells, as well as detect the very early stages of viral infection inside cells. The findings, published today in a study [...]
Tiny shards of plastic are increasingly infiltrating our brains, study says
Human brain samples collected at autopsy in early 2024 contained more tiny shards of plastic than samples collected eight years prior, according to a preprint posted online in May. A preprint is a study which has not yet [...]
Scientists Have Discovered Strange DNA in Our Brains – and It Could Be Shortening Our Lives
According to the research, these mitochondrial DNA insertions could be linked to early death. Mitochondria in brain cells frequently insert their DNA into the nucleus, potentially impacting lifespan, as those with more insertions were found to [...]
Watch Out After a Hospital Stay: You Could Be Exposing Your Family to Superbugs
Research indicates hospitals contribute to the local spread of antibiotic-resistant infections. A recent study published in the journal Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology by the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America suggests that family members of [...]
Molecular Trickery: How COVID-19 Silently Sabotages the Human Immune System
Researchers have discovered that SARS-CoV-2 manipulates the human immune system by forcing cells to produce non-functional proteins, hindering the body’s antiviral defenses. This groundbreaking study by teams from prestigious Brazilian universities highlights potential targets for new COVID-19 treatments, [...]