A new study has identified an unknown cellular mechanism so far, which regulates how the messenger RNA vaccines are delivered, protected and degraded inside the cells. This discovery not only explains the success of existing mRNA vaccines, but offers a solid basis for developing new genetic therapies and personalized treatments.
Message RNA vaccines could be effective for other diseases. Archive
The team of researchers led by Dr. Kim V. Narry, director of the Center for RNA research within the Institute for Fundamental Sciences (IBS), discovered an essential cellular mechanism that influences the functioning of Vaccines and therapies based on MRNA, News.ro shows.
Their study, published in Science magazine, offers the first comprehensive understanding of how MRNA vaccines are delivered, processed and degraded inside the cells – a progress that could open the way to more effective RNA vaccines and treatments.
Messenger RNA indicates to cells how to produce proteins. This type of genetic information is also a promising tool in treating cancer and genetic diseases. When foreign mRNA, like the one in vaccines, enters the cells, it must avoid the natural defense mechanisms of the body to be effective.
“In order to improve the mRNA therapies, we need to understand how the cells react to vaccines. It is essential to find ways to avoid cell defense mechanisms and to use the endosomal system effectively ”, stressed Dr. Kim V. Narry the importance of understanding these processes.
This research not only opens the path for a more effective delivery of MRNA vaccines, but also offers a basis for developing future RNA therapies.
How Classic Vaccines and those with messenger RNA work
Vaccines work by imitating an infectious agent – viruses, bacteria or other microorganisms that can cause a disease. This “learns” our immune system to respond quickly and efficiently against it.
Traditionally, vaccines work by introducing an weakened form of an infectious agent that allows the immune system to build a memory. In this way, the cells can recognize and combat it quickly before we get sick. Thus, some of the vaccines against Covid-19 were designed.
Other vaccines against coronavirus have been developed using new approaches, which are called messenger or mRNA vaccines. Instead of introducing antigens (a substance that causes the immune system to produce antibodies), MRNA vaccines offer our body the genetic code it needs to allow our immune system to produce antigen itself. The Technology of the MRNA vaccine has been studied for several decades. It does not contain the living virus and does not interfere with human DNA.
About 15 million people died during the Covid pandemic. Archive
MRNM technology briefly explained
Vaccines based on MRNA technology protect the body from the disease without exposing it to the virus. And this is because they contain viruses, nor mitigated, inactivated. Instead, they contain a type of genetic information called MRNA, which can create children of the virus surface protein. This protein allows the coronavirus to enter the human cells and multiply. The MRNA type vaccines send to the body the instructions for creating these proteins for the immune system to become familiar with them and to be prepared to combat them in the case of virus infection.
After inoculation, the body creates proteins S, according to the instructions provided by the PLIC in the vaccine. The immune system detects foreign proteins and produces antibodies and cells with an immune role to attack them. In a few days, S and MRI proteins are destroyed and disappear from the body, in return, our body has learned to fight these proteins in which they would meet again.
