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Wool physicists, chemists and immunologists
McMaster University have teamed up to modify red blood cells to carry viral agents that can safely activate the immune system to protect the body against SARS-CoV-2, creating a promising new vehicle for vaccine delivery.
Developing new vaccine strategies and technologies is critical to controlling the pandemic and preparing for future outbreaks as the coronavirus continues to evolve and mutate, the researchers say.
The new method, described in the journal
«PLOS ONE»is a unique approach to vaccination.
According to the method, red blood cell membranes become embedded with spike proteins from SARS-CoV-2, which then form virus-like particles. The particles, which have been shown to activate the immune system and produce antibodies in mice, are completely harmless.
“Current vaccine delivery methods often cause drastic reactions from the immune system and have short-lived responses,” he says. Maikel Rheinstadtermain supervisor of the article and professor of the
McMaster Department of Physics and Astronomy.
“Some of the vaccines that have been developed have shown side effects. This platform opens up new possibilities for vaccines and therapeutics », he says.
The researchers found that the cells can be loaded with a large dose of viral proteins, yet are likely to produce few side effects, making the new approach more tolerable and effective than other vaccine options.
“We have developed a method where we can trigger an immune response without the use of genetic material, and yet we can synthesize these particles in a very short time,” he explains. Sebastian Himbertlead author of the study.
The technology can be quickly adapted to develop vaccines for variants or new viruses that may emerge in the future.
Researchers first reported this technique in 2020, when they modified red blood cells to deliver drugs throughout the body, which could then attack infections or treat catastrophic diseases like cancer or Alzheimer’s.
“This platform makes our own blood cells smart in many different ways,” explains Rheinstadter. “In this case it is a vaccine. We’re using our own cells as nano robots inside our bodies and whenever they see a disease, they can fight it off.”