On February 17th, scitechdaily published a blog post yesterday (February 16th), reporting that scientists at Stanford University have developed a needle-free vaccine, which is expected to completely change the vaccination method.
This vaccine uses a harmless skin bacterium,A strong immune response can be stimulated by local application, and there is no need for injection and no side effects such as pain and fever.
Researchers at Stanford University have found that a common skin bacterium, Staphylococcus epidermidis, can trigger a powerful immune response. Studies have shown that the human body has a very strong antibody reaction to this bacterium, similar to the reaction after vaccination.
The intensity and specificity of this reaction are equivalent to those of the pathogen, and the antibody level is maintained at a high concentration for a long time.
In-depth study by researchers found that protein of Staphylococcus epidermidis named Aap was the key to trigger immune response. The IT House quoted the blog post as saying that the team then inserted the gene fragment of tetanus toxin or diphtheria toxin into Aap protein through genetic engineering technology. This modified bacteria is like a "live vaccine", which can stimulate the body to produce antibodies against specific toxins when applied locally.
In mouse experiments, mice coated with the modified bacteria successfully resisted the lethal dose of tetanus or diphtheria toxin. The researchers also tried to chemically bind the toxin fragment to the surface of Aap protein, and also obtained effective immune protection.
The research results have been published in the journal Nature and are expected to be applied to human clinical trials in the future. At present, the monkey experiment is planned first. If it goes well, it is expected to enter the human trial stage within two or three years. Researchers believe that this method can also be applied to pathogens such as viruses, fungi and single-celled parasites.
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