At the same time, via ribosomes, Nsp1 stimulates the production of viral proteins.'' ''This small viral protein selectively blocks ribosomes - the protein factories of our cells - making them unusable by our cells and thus preventing the immune response. ''Nsp1 is, however, an important infectious agent of SARS-CoV-2,'' explains Francesco Luigi Gervasio, full professor at the Section of Pharmaceutical Sciences and the Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Western Switzerland of the UNIGE Faculty of Science, and at the Department of Chemistry and the Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology at UCL. Without obvious cavities on its surface to anchor a potential drug, researchers felt that it could not be a target for treatment. Some have been studied in the context of the development of new drugs. They are essential for the replication of the virus. SARS-CoV-2 also makes other proteins - the "non-structural" proteins - using the resources of our cells after entering them. It is the target of Messenger RNA vaccines. It is the key to the virus entering our cells. The best known is the Spike protein, which is located on the surface of SARS-CoV-2 and gives it its ''spiky'' appearance. Proteins are at the forefront of therapeutic targets to combat the virus. Despite the progress made, the development of new therapies is still an urgent priority: the continuous emergence of new variants - some of which are resistant to current treatments - and the possible appearance of new strains of the virus represent a risk of new pandemics. ![]() For estimating the extent of protective immunity, the latter two parameters are particularly important.The fast rollout of new vaccines and antiviral drugs has helped to contain the Covid-19 pandemic, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The researchers defined several parameters in the blood of study participants: the amount of antibodies (IgG), the binding strength of the antibodies to the virus protein, and the ability of the blood serum to neutralize SARS-CoV-2 variants in cell culture. The cohort comprised 98 recovered persons and 73 persons without prior infection. Subsequently, both groups were offered vaccination with the mRNA-based Covid-19 vaccine from BioNTech/Pfizer and were monitored for almost two years. Both groups were comparable in relation to their sex, age, working conditions, and other risk factors. The researchers identified one group of people who had contracted SARS-CoV-2 during the first wave of the pandemic in spring 2020, and a second group who had not been infected. ![]() Since the beginning of the pandemic, 171 voluntary participants from the staff at the University Hospital rechts der Isar at risk of infection were recruited for the study and regularly tested. “Thus, we now know that while immunity built up or enhanced by vaccination is the most important key to effective protection against future variants of the virus, a breakthrough infection, as irritating as it may be, can provide the effect of an additional vaccine shot.” “Our study shows that triple-vaccinated individuals with no previous SARS-CoV-2 infection have almost the same amount of neutralizing antibodies as convalescents getting vaccinated or vaccinated individuals who had a breakthrough infection,” explains Ulrike Protzer. According to the study, this is possible in three constellations: after triple vaccination (basic immunization and booster), after infection and double vaccination, and after two vaccinations and a breakthrough infection. As they report in their new study, a total of three exposures is required to the spike protein as a viral antigen so that neutralizing antibodies form not only in sufficient quantity, but also in high quality. Keppler (Max von Pettenkofer Institute and Gene Center Munich at LMU) working together within the German Center for Infection Research (DZIF). New worrying variants are spreading rapidly: a challenge for physicians, as the question remains how to best protect people against infections with future virus variants.Īnswers to this question have been found by a team led by Ulrike Protzer (Institute of Virology at Helmholtz Munich and the Technical University of Munich), Percy Knolle (University Hospital rechts der Isar of the Technical University of Munich), and Oliver T. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus continues to change. For the study, researchers from Helmholtz Munich, LMU and TUM followed the immunity of vaccinated and recovered individuals over two years. ![]() In this regard, a breakthrough infection with SARS-CoV-2 after two vaccinations achieves the same protective effect as an additional booster vaccination. ![]() These antibodies can also efficiently neutralize the omicron variant. A new study from Munich shows that the immune system develops a high-quality antibody response after a total of three encounters with the viral spike protein of SARS-CoV-2.
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