Notizia

Oct 24, 2023

Rilevazione di anticorpi neutralizzanti per COVID

By Anne Trafton, Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyJune 6, 2023 MIT chemists

Di Anne Trafton, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 6 giugno 2023

I chimici del MIT hanno escogitato un nuovo modo per identificare gli anticorpi neutralizzanti, raffigurati qui in azzurro, contro la SARS-CoV-2 in un campione di sangue. Credito: iStock

The method could enable a rapid test to determine whether individuals are producing antibodies that help protect against COVID-19First identified in 2019 in Wuhan, China, COVID-19, or Coronavirus disease 2019, (which was originally called "2019 novel coronavirus" or 2019-nCoV) is an infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). It has spread globally, resulting in the 2019–22 coronavirus pandemic." data-gt-translate-attributes="[{"attribute":"data-cmtooltip", "format":"html"}]">COVID 19.

MITMIT is an acronym for the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. It is a prestigious private research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts that was founded in 1861. It is organized into five Schools: architecture and planning; engineering; humanities, arts, and social sciences; management; and science. MIT's impact includes many scientific breakthroughs and technological advances. Their stated goal is to make a better world through education, research, and innovation." data-gt-translate-attributes="[{"attribute":"data-cmtooltip", "format":"html"}]">MIT scientists have developed a novel technique that uses lectin displacement to detect neutralizing antibodies against viruses like SARS-CoV-2Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the official name of the virus strain that causes coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Previous to this name being adopted, it was commonly referred to as the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV), the Wuhan coronavirus, or the Wuhan virus." data-gt-translate-attributes="[{"attribute":"data-cmtooltip", "format":"html"}]">SARS-CoV-2, offering a way to assess vaccine effectiveness and potential protection against virusA virus is a tiny infectious agent that is not considered a living organism. It consists of genetic material, either DNA or RNA, that is surrounded by a protein coat called a capsid. Some viruses also have an outer envelope made up of lipids that surrounds the capsid. Viruses can infect a wide range of organisms, including humans, animals, plants, and even bacteria. They rely on host cells to replicate and multiply, hijacking the cell's machinery to make copies of themselves. This process can cause damage to the host cell and lead to various diseases, ranging from mild to severe. Common viral infections include the flu, colds, HIV, and COVID-19. Vaccines and antiviral medications can help prevent and treat viral infections." data-gt-translate-attributes="[{"attribute":"data-cmtooltip", "format":"html"}]"> varianti del virus. Hanno richiesto un brevetto per questa tecnologia.

Gli anticorpi in grado di disarmare un virus, noti come anticorpi neutralizzanti, sono fondamentali per la capacità del corpo di combattere le infezioni. I chimici del MIT hanno escogitato un nuovo modo per identificare questi anticorpi neutralizzanti in un campione di sangue, analizzando come gli anticorpi interagiscono con le molecole di zucchero presenti sulla superficie di una proteina virale.

Il nuovo test potrebbe aiutare a rivelare se qualcuno ha anticorpi neutralizzanti contro virus come SARS-CoV-2, il virus su cui i ricercatori si sono concentrati nel loro studio. Gli anticorpi neutralizzanti, che possono essere generati dalla vaccinazione o da un’infezione precedente, offrono protezione contro future infezioni.

"Questo tipo di test potrebbe essere utilizzato per verificare se i pazienti sono realmente protetti dai vaccini o meno", afferma Laura Kiessling, professoressa di chimica Novartis al MIT e autrice senior dell'articolo. "Se qualcuno è ad alto rischio, sarebbe davvero bello poter determinare rapidamente se ha anticorpi neutralizzanti."