Covid-19 - Unintended proteins due to mRNA vaccination
According to a study, mRNA vaccines can lead to the formation of unwanted proteins to a very small extent. So far, however, there is no evidence that this has had any negative effects on the mRNA vaccines already used against coronavirus, write researchers led by Anne Willis from the University of Oxford in the journal Nature.
Nevertheless, the phenomenon should be avoided in future vaccines, as it could potentially also lead to negative effects such as reduced efficacy or side effects.
No cause for concern
German experts speak of interesting results, but see no cause for concern. "The effect described, if true, is not dangerous or worrying and most likely has nothing to do with general vaccination reactions or the side effects of mRNA vaccines," said Julian Schulze zur Wiesch from the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE). The mRNA vaccines are safe overall.
His colleague Marina Rodnina from the Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Natural Sciences in Göttingen takes a similar view: "There is currently no evidence that such vaccine-produced protein fragments are associated with adverse effects in humans. However, if production can be adjusted in such a way that the phenomenon is avoided, "this should definitely be done for the future use of mRNA technology".
mRNA vaccines contain the building instructions - the so-called mRNA - for a component of the virus against which humans are to be protected. A type of protein construction machine (ribosomes) reads these mRNA molecules in the human cells and assembles a protein of the virus on this basis. This then stimulates the immune system to produce antibodies against the virus.
In order to be particularly effective, the mRNA in the vaccines is slightly modified by the manufacturer, as Anne Willis and her team write in "Nature". These modifications can cause the protein construction machinery to slip slightly when reading the mRNA blueprint, resulting in the production of unwanted proteins.
Willis' team was able to show in mice for Biontech's coronavirus vaccine(BNT162b2) that an immune response against such unwanted proteins develops. The researchers also observed such an immune response to a lesser extent in a third of 21 human test subjects, without any of them complaining of side effects. The research team was also able to show how such unintended effects can be avoided in the future.
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- Although the formation of unwanted proteins due to mRNA vaccines is a slight concern, there's no evidence suggesting it has negatively affected any COVID-19 vaccines in Great Britain.
- The production of unwanted proteins in mRNA vaccines, including those used against the Coronavirus in Great Britain, is a phenomenon that researchers from the University of Oxford warn against in future vaccines.
- The Corona virus has brought to light the importance of understanding how mRNA vaccines work, including the potential for unintended protein production.
- The University of Oxford team's study on mRNA vaccines highlighted the potential for unwanted protein production as a byproduct, but stresses that the impact on vaccine efficiency and side effects remains uncertain.
- The side effects of mRNA vaccines are primarily related to the immune system's response, making it crucial to keep an eye on any unintended protein production affecting the virus proteins they target.
- The development of new vaccines against potential diseases relies on a deep understanding of scientific processes, such as the controlled protein construction within mRNA vaccines to minimize unintended protein production.
- The Coronavirus pandemic has prompted the scientific community to explore methods of creating mRNA vaccines that minimise unintended protein production, potentially leading to safer vaccines for future diseases.
Source: www.stern.de
