We use cookies to enhance your experience. By continuing to browse this website, you agree to our use of cookies. More information.

The emergence of COVID-19 variants such as delta and omicron has allowed scientists to scramble to determine whether existing vaccinations and boosters are still effective against the new SARS-Cov-2 strain.

Akiko Iwasaki, a Waldemar von Zeidwitz professor of immunobiology at Yale University, said that the new response to this rapidly mutating virus may be at the door of our lungs. In a new study, she and her colleagues found that intranasal vaccination can provide extensive protection against heterologous respiratory viruses in mice, while the so-called systemic immunity, that is, the use of injections to cause systemic protection, does not.

The results of their research were published in the journal Science Immunology on December 10.

The best immune defense occurs at the door, preventing viruses from trying to enter. "

Akiko Iwasaki, senior author of the study

The mucous membrane contains its own immune defense system, which can fight against air or foodborne pathogens. When challenged, these barrier tissues produce B cells, which in turn secrete immunoglobulin A (IgA) antibodies. Unlike vaccines that trigger a system-wide immune response, IgA antibodies act locally on the mucosal surface of the nose, stomach, and lungs.

Although the protective effects of IgA-producing cells against enteric pathogens have been well established, Iwasaki's laboratory wanted to know whether triggering the IgA response might also produce a local immune response against respiratory viruses.

They collaborated with researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York to test a protein-based vaccine designed to initiate an IgA immune response. It is injected into mice by injection, just like systemic immunization, which can also be passed Intranasal injection. Then, they exposed the mice to multiple strains of influenza virus. They found that mice vaccinated intranasally were more resistant to respiratory flu than those vaccinated. Nasal vaccines (but not injections) also induce antibodies to protect animals from various influenza strains, not just those strains that the vaccine is intended to prevent.

The Yale University team is currently testing a nasal vaccine strain against the COVID strain in an animal model.

Iwasaki said that although both vaccine injections and nasal vaccines increased the level of antibodies in the blood of mice, only nasal vaccines can secrete IgA into the lungs, and respiratory viruses need to infect the host in the lungs.

If nasal vaccines prove to be safe and effective for humans, Iwasaki envisions using them in combination with vaccines and boosters that currently work system-wide to increase immune system enhancement at the source of infection.

The other co-first authors of the study are Ji Eun Oh, Eric Song, and Miyu Moriyama, all of whom are from Yale University.

Oh, JE wait. (2021) Intranasal activation induces local lung resident B cell populations to secrete protective mucosal antiviral IgA. Scientific immunology. doi.org/10.1126/sciimmunol.abj5129.

Published in: Medical News | Medical Research News | Disease/Infection News

Tags: antibody, B cell, blood, cell, influenza, immune response, immune system, immunity, immunology, influenza, lung, medicine, protein, respiration, SARS, SARS-CoV-2, stomach, vaccine, virus

Allen Lee, CEO of Portwell Technology, USA

In this interview, News-Medical talked with Allen Lee from Portwell Technology in the United States about their work in the company and how they became a leading supplier of medical equipment and medical imaging equipment.

Dr. Gary Heiman and Dr. Brad Kamitaki

Researchers designed a new diagnostic model to predict the response of patients with generalized epilepsy to drug treatment.

In this inspiring interview, we talked to former NFL player Chris Draft about lung cancer and how he worked with SU2C to help raise awareness about lung cancer.

News-Medical.Net provides this medical information service in accordance with these terms and conditions. Please note that the medical information on this website is intended to support rather than replace the relationship between patients and doctors/doctors and the medical advice they may provide.

This website complies with HONcode standards to obtain reliable health information: verify here.

News-Medical.net-AZoNetwork website

Owned and operated by AZoNetwork, © 2000-2021