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Ribonucleic acid (RNA) is a biologically important type of molecule that consists of a long chain of nucleotide units. Each nucleotide consists of a nitrogenous base, a ribose sugar, and a phosphate.

Intestinal organoids demonstrate variability in SARS-CoV-2 susceptibility

Three-dimensional organoid structures grown in the lab allow deeper, almost in situ investigation of a biological system, without the use of living animals. In a paper recently uploaded to the preprint server bioRxiv*, organoids generated from human specimens are utilized to investigate the way in which SARS-CoV-2 interacts with the numerous cells of the intestinal epithelium, finding great heterogeneity in the susceptibility of the organoids and the cells within to infection.

21 Jul 2021

Human tissue xenografts in murine models for the study of SARS-CoV-2

Severe COVID-19 is associated with massive dysregulation of the host immune response, resulting in inflammation and the condition known as a cytokine storm. For the most part, however, the virus is barely noticeable or only mild among the young and healthy, suggesting that the route and intensity of an immune response could determine the severity of the disease.

20 Jul 2021

Next-generation COVID-19 vaccine provides robust immunity against SARS-CoV-2 in mice

Researchers in Canada have developed an adenoviral vector-based vaccine against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) that induced robust immune protection against the ancestral strain of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in mice.

20 Jul 2021

UH researcher receives $2.7 million grant to detect cancer biomarkers in blood by counting exosomes

University of Houston engineering researcher Wei-Chuan Shih has been awarded $2.7 million from the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering to detect cancer biomarkers in blood by counting exosomes.

20 Jul 2021

Past SARS-CoV-2 infection enhances mRNA vaccine-induced neutralization of variants of concern

Researchers in the United States have conducted a study suggesting that individuals previously infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) exhibit better neutralizing activity against variants of concern following vaccination against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) than previously uninfected vaccinees.

19 Jul 2021

A path to treat currently untreatable cases of cystic fibrosis is clearly achievable, study suggests

An experimental drug reported in Nature Communications suggests that a "path is clearly achievable" to treat currently untreatable cases of cystic fibrosis disease caused by nonsense mutations.

19 Jul 2021

Chemical modification in RNA molecules may offer protection against liver disease

A chemical modification that occurs in some RNA molecules as they carry genetic instructions from DNA to cells' protein-making machinery may offer protection against non-alcoholic fatty liver, a condition that results from a build-up of fat in the liver and can lead to advanced liver disease, according to a new study by UCLA researchers.

19 Jul 2021

Scientists deconstruct the protein-based machine responsible for SARS-CoV-2 replication

In February 2020, a trio of bio-imaging experts were sitting amiably around a dinner table at a scientific conference in Washington, D.C., when the conversation shifted to what was then a worrying viral epidemic in China.

19 Jul 2021

Study: Second dose of COVID-19 vaccine induces a powerful boost to the immune system

The second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine induces a powerful boost to a part of the immune system that provides broad antiviral protection, according to a study led by investigators at the Stanford University School of Medicine.

19 Jul 2021

Do mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccines induce memory T cell response similar to natural infection?

A team of scientists from the United States has recently compared the epitope-specific T cell response after natural severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection or vaccination in both naïve and previously infected individuals.

19 Jul 2021

Analysis shows the amount of testing for COVID-19 matters more than the sensitivity of the tests

Results from sensitive RT-PCR tests can be similar in accuracy to the less sensitive antigen tests, providing valuable insight for testing policies.

19 Jul 2021

Stronger and longer SARS-CoV-2 RBD-ACE2 binding associated with glycans in new study

A new study has been published on the bioRxiv* preprint server, which focuses on the mechanism behind the binding of SARS-CoV-2 with the host receptor, using a molecular dynamics approach. The authors of this study aim to highlight the role of glycans in initiating the interaction between S and ACE2.

19 Jul 2021

An assay capable of detecting SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in breast milk and other samples

In a recent study by US researchers (currently available on the medRxiv* preprint server), a specific immunoassay based on the spike glycoprotein’s receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is not only well suited for the detection of antibody response after infection and vaccination but may also represent a method of choice when conducting seroepidemiological studies.

19 Jul 2021

Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines establish recall responses to reinfection

Researchers in the United States have conducted a study showing that the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines developed by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna generate a coordinated adaptive immune response that is capable of eliciting recall responses to future infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

18 Jul 2021

Evaluation of a synthetic DNA SARS-CoV-2 vaccine INO-4800 using a nonhuman primate model

A new study published in Vaccine assesses the safety and efficacy of the synthetic DNA vaccine candidate INO-4800, delivered as a single or double dose regime.

18 Jul 2021

Messenger RNA vaccines against COVID-19 not found in breast milk

Messenger RNA vaccines against COVID-19 were not detected in human milk, according to a small study by UC San Francisco, providing early evidence that the vaccine mRNA is not transferred to the infant.

16 Jul 2021

Combination of investigational therapeutic and chemotherapy shows promise for AML treatment

The investigational therapeutic ficlatuzumab in combination with chemotherapy showed signs of clinical efficacy in patients with relapsed/refractory acute myeloid leukemia.

16 Jul 2021

Single-cell RNA sequencing reveals cells that could protect from fatal lung disease

Single-cell RNA sequencing has revealed a subset of cells that could provide protection from a rare, but severely debilitating and fatal, lung disease.

16 Jul 2021

Mixing COVID vaccines generates a comparable immune response

The validity and safety of mixing first and second doses of different types are explored in a paper recently uploaded to the preprint server medRxiv* by Rose et al. (July 13th, 2021), finding that robust antibody response is induced, comparable to, and perhaps even exceed that generated by homologous dosing.

16 Jul 2021

Water-soluble vitamin E compounds directly inhibit SARS-CoV-2 replication and synergize with remdesivir

Researchers in the United States have shown that water-soluble derivatives of vitamin E (α-tocopherol) exhibit potent antiviral activity against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) – the agent that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

15 Jul 2021

RNA News and Research

Further Reading

Intestinal organoids demonstrate variability in SARS-CoV-2 susceptibility

Human tissue xenografts in murine models for the study of SARS-CoV-2

Next-generation COVID-19 vaccine provides robust immunity against SARS-CoV-2 in mice

UH researcher receives $2.7 million grant to detect cancer biomarkers in blood by counting exosomes

Past SARS-CoV-2 infection enhances mRNA vaccine-induced neutralization of variants of concern

A path to treat currently untreatable cases of cystic fibrosis is clearly achievable, study suggests

Chemical modification in RNA molecules may offer protection against liver disease

Scientists deconstruct the protein-based machine responsible for SARS-CoV-2 replication

Study: Second dose of COVID-19 vaccine induces a powerful boost to the immune system

Do mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccines induce memory T cell response similar to natural infection?

Analysis shows the amount of testing for COVID-19 matters more than the sensitivity of the tests

Stronger and longer SARS-CoV-2 RBD-ACE2 binding associated with glycans in new study

An assay capable of detecting SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in breast milk and other samples

Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines establish recall responses to reinfection

Evaluation of a synthetic DNA SARS-CoV-2 vaccine INO-4800 using a nonhuman primate model

Messenger RNA vaccines against COVID-19 not found in breast milk

Combination of investigational therapeutic and chemotherapy shows promise for AML treatment

Single-cell RNA sequencing reveals cells that could protect from fatal lung disease

Mixing COVID vaccines generates a comparable immune response

Water-soluble vitamin E compounds directly inhibit SARS-CoV-2 replication and synergize with remdesivir

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