Homologous News and Research

RSS

Heterologous prime-boost immunization with AstraZeneca and Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines safe and well-tolerated, study finds

A team of scientists from Germany has recently evaluated the reactogenicity profile of heterologous ChAdOx1 nCoV-19/BNT162b2 prime-boost vaccination among healthcare workers. The findings reveal that a 12-week interval regimen of heterologous vaccination is well-tolerated among participants. The study is currently available on the medRxiv* preprint server.

25 May 2021

Can SARS-CoV-2 trigger amyloidosis?

A new study, released as a preprint on the bioRxiv* server, describes the results of an analysis of the role played by the virus in amyloid formation, with its subsequent effects on the health of various organs and of the whole organism.

21 May 2021

Researchers define immune determinants of protection against SARS-CoV-2 in mice

Researchers in the United States have conducted a preclinical study defining the roles that different arms of the immune system play in fighting primary infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), as well as reinfection and infection following SARS-CoV-2 vaccination.

21 May 2021

Stem cell therapy for COVID-19 and ARDS

In a review paper recently uploaded to the journal Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy by Mahendiratta et al. (May 2021) the applicability of stem cells in treating severe SARS-CoV-2 infection is investigated, with regard to ARDS therapy.

5 May 2021

Class I HLA alleles shape CD8+ T cell repertoire in SARS-CoV-2 infection

An interesting new study discusses how adaptive cellular immunity against the SARS-CoV-2 is dependent on differences in HLA-encoding genes between patients.

3 May 2021

Live "attenuated" influenza virus vaccine protects animals against respiratory infections, including SARS-CoV-2

Researchers in the United States and Austria have demonstrated the potential of a modified influenza virus as a vaccine to protect against viral respiratory pathogens, including the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

2 May 2021

Host protein mimicry of SARS-CoV-2 receptor binding motif

In a new study, structural bioinformatics approaches are employed to investigate the potential mimicry of the receptor-binding motif (RBM) of these three coronaviruses, finding that several proteins from both human and non-human sources were similar to each, with implications regarding the mechanism of infection and tropism of SARS-CoV-2.

29 Apr 2021

Novel approach to gene editing bypasses disease-causing mutations in a gene

A new approach to gene editing using the CRISPR/Cas9 system bypasses disease-causing mutations in a gene, enabling treatment of genetic diseases linked to a single gene, such as cystic fibrosis, certain types of sickle cell anemia, and other rare diseases.

21 Apr 2021

Japanese–European scientists detect novel genetic mitochondrial disorder

The list of known genetic mitochondrial disorders is ever-growing, and ongoing research continues to identify new disorders in this category.

15 Apr 2021

Could Zebrafish larvae be a novel animal model for SARS-CoV-2?

Researchers based in Paris, France, have explored the potential use of zebrafish larvae as animal models for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). These larvae are small and cheap, so could prove a suitable medium for rapid mass testing of the disease.

13 Apr 2021

Enhanced neutralization of SARS-CoV-2 South African variant with heterologous adjuvant vaccine candidate

A new study describes the use of a single dose of vaccine based on the viral protein called the receptor-binding domain (RBD) to elicit powerful neutralizing activity against both the Wuhan strain and the most concerning VOC called the South African (SA) strain.

7 Apr 2021

Researchers define genetic landscape of uterine leiomyosarcomas

In a new study, Yale Cancer Center researchers have defined the genetic landscape of uterine leiomyosarcomas (uLMS).

6 Apr 2021

Temperature difference in the upper and lower respiratory tract influences SARS-CoV-2 replication

A team of researchers from the Institute for Infectious Diseases (IFIK) at the University of Bern and the Federal Institute of Virology and Immunology (IVI) have assessed virus growth and activation of the cellular defense mechanisms in the respiratory tract.

1 Apr 2021

Discovery of cryptic pocket in SARS-CoV-2 may lead to pan-coronavirus therapies

A new research paper published in the Biophysical Journal describes a novel binding pocket used by a viral non-structural protein (nsp) to form an activated complex with its partner nsp. In so doing, it may have revealed a common target that may be useful in the development of a broad-spectrum antiviral drug against all coronaviruses.

1 Apr 2021

Antibodies produced from infection with SARS-CoV-2 501Y.V2 protect against other variants

A recent paper in the journal Nature shows that while earlier lineages do not elicit antibodies capable of efficiently neutralizing the newly emerged South African variant, SARS-CoV-2 501Y.V2 (B.1.351), the converse does occur.

31 Mar 2021

New covalent and non-covalent SARS-CoV-2 inhibitors discovered in silico

A new study describes the use of a combination of virtual and experimental screening protocols to identify potential inhibitors of the virus, which could lead to rapid drug development.

24 Mar 2021

DNA spike-ins increase reliability of amplicon-based sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 genomes

In the interests of cost-effectiveness and rapidity, amplicon-based sequencing of the viral genome has been used to provide a sensitive means of genomic surveillance. A new preprint, which was released on the bioRxiv* server, shows how this can be tweaked to make it a reliable source of genomic data by reducing the known potential for contamination.

19 Mar 2021

Study explores how SARS-CoV-2 mutations produce antibody resistance and enhanced transmissibility

An interesting new study deals with the effects of the natural mutations in the spike antigen of the SARS-CoV-2, the pathogen that is responsible for the ongoing coronavirus disease pandemic.

16 Mar 2021

White-tailed deer susceptible to SARS-CoV-2, finds study

White-tailed deer have been observed to be susceptible to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). They can also transmit the virus both through direct and indirect contact to one another, researchers find. The research paper is available to be read online in the Journal of Virology.

15 Mar 2021

Researchers present fragment-based computational design of antibodies that target structured epitopes

A new study describes a novel fragment-based method to design antibody complementarity determining region (CDR) loops.

8 Mar 2021