HeLa Cells: The Genes That Saved Generations

How can a single cell completely change the view of biology and medicine? This is the case for HeLa cells, derived from Henrietta Lacks, an African American diagnosed with cervical cancer in 1951. Her cells were the first "immortal cell" discovered at the time. Although this is not the only immortal cell, it is the first and a landmark for biology and medicine. 

HeLa cells are the center of groundbreaking achievements in the field of medicine, as mentioned by Dr. Thomas: 

"1. Development of the Polio vaccine 

2. Development of a novel method to stain and count chromosomes 

3. Discovery of Human Papilloma virus-18 (HPV-18) as the causative organism in Cervical cancer 

4. Studies on entry of SARS CoV-2019 into human cells using ACE-2 receptors 

5. Studies on Anti- cancer drugs including Tamoxifen (Breast cancer drug) 

6. Discovery of the enzyme Telomerase 

7. Studies of the effect of Zero Gravity (outer space) on cells" (Thomas, 2023). 

The discovered of the Cells is an important leap in the biology world as well as in the field of medical, with these achievements, the health of many people has been protected and many lives have been saved. In the article, Dr. Thomas also discussed about the ethical aspect and the significance of the HeLa cells. It is important to find a cure or a preventive way to protect people's health, but it is most important to do so ethically, which is why the Hippocrates Oath is taken for every Physician now. 

WORKS CITED

Thomas, A. (2023). HeLa Cells: The Genes That Saved Generations. MedBoundTimes Medical Journalism. https://www.medboundtimes.com/medbound-blog/hela-cells-the-genes-that-saved-generations 

Babraham Institute (2021). Reflecting on HeLa cells: 70 years on. Babraham Institute. https://www.babraham.ac.uk/blog/hela-cells 

Harvard Researchers Develop Drug-Free Respiratory Infection Defending Nasal Spray

Harvard Medicine has developed a simple, drug free, and highly effective prophylactic measure against respiratory infections such as pneumonia, influenza, and COVID-19. Referred to as a 'Pathogen Capture and Neutralizing Spray', or PCANS, this spray coats the nasal cavity for up to eight hours and acts as a physical barrier that neutralizes a variety of viruses and bacteria with more than 99.99% effectiveness.

Though it sounds promising and novel, it does not serve as a substitution for vaccines-- only as an additional layer of protection. It is worth noting that the study of its effectiveness came from a clinical trial tested on mice. The effectiveness of the spray may vary in a real-world environment. It is currently on the market under the name 'Profi' and retails for around $20, but human clinical trials have not yet been publicly released and the product has not been FDA approved. Still, this cheap, safe, and convenient spray may serve as an additional layer of protection against common infections.

https://www.profispray.com/
https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2024/09/drug-free-nasal-spray-blocks-neutralizes-viruses-bacteria/
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/adma.202406348?utm_campaign=publicity&utm_content=WRH_9_23_24&utm_medium=email&utm_source=publicity&utm_term=ADMA
https://genesdev.cshlp.org/content/early/2024/10/03/gad.351913.124

Host Genes Can Affect The Efficacy Of Vaccines With Focus on Influenza

 

Host Genes Can Affect The Efficacy Of Vaccines

 

 

The efficacy of a vaccine varies person to person due to numerous factors, with this post focusing on biological sex and immune history. In influenza, pandemic level strains are made through antigenemic shift, a mixing of multiple influenza strains. This can occur when a nonhuman virus infects a human host, or a new strain is recreated through genetic re-assortment. The vaccines used to treat seasonal influenzas’ efficacy is measured by how well they can generate antibodies against HA. HAI antibodies bind to the HA antigen preventing the virus from binding to the receptor on respiratory epithelial cells. The humoral immune response can be impacted by single nucleotide polymorphisms related to human leukocyte antigens, cytokines and cytokine receptors when exposed to human-influenza vaccines. Biological sex, in regard to XX vs XY chromosomes, gonadal tissues, and sex hormone concentrations, affects the influenza vaccine acceptance rate and development of post vaccination immune responses. A half dose of the vaccine in females released antigens H1N1, H3N2, influenza B in the same concentrations as a full dose of the vaccine in males. This could be a reason behind why females that have been inoculated with the vaccine have a lower hospitalization rate than males. The patient's immune history is the other factor being explored in this article that impacts how a vaccine is received. The development of influenza-specific antibody responses in later years are heavily dependent on when the subject was exposed to influenza within the first ten years of life. This is due to OAS which activates B cell memory over de novo activation of naïve B cells.     

    

Autism Largely Caused by Genetics, Not Environment: Study

The article, “Autism Largely Caused by Genetics, Not Environment: Study”, written by E.J. Mundell explains how autism mostly relies on genetics. This goes against the idea that the spectrum is based mostly on environmental factors. It has often been thought that vaccinations are a cause for autism. This has played a role in children not getting vaccinated for years. There has been mounting evidence, this article included, that this is not the case.

The article claims that autism affects one in every fifty-nine children in the United States. This number is a lot higher than I thought. Learning more about autism can help this whole group of individuals have a better understanding about what autism really is. It is also important to understand that maternal factors only play a role about one percent of the time. This number is so small, yet the big focus seems to be on maternal factors. The article discusses how the genetics factors are often very overlooked. 

In another article, “Autism Parent, Times Two: When More Than One Child in The Family Has ASD”, by Marina Sarris it discusses the likelihood of two siblings having autism. Because it is genetic, siblings have a much higher chance of having autism. Fraternal twins have an even higher chance. Data was collected in studies on families with more than one autistic child. It is extremely important to observe and look into those with twins. These are the most interesting cases because they have the same genes as well as environment. They even shared their mother’s womb. 

Overall, understanding how genetics plays a role in autism is very important. It will help educate people and encourage them to ignore the myth that vaccines cause autism. It will also eliminate any indication that autism is largely caused by maternal factors and bad parenting. However, I am not sure if genetics will help us to treat autism. I believe that it will help us find out how to manage and aid those affected, but it brings up a whole debate. If a mother knows her unborn child will have autism, is it right to get rid of the child or potentially alter genes? There is a huge stigma on autism already, but does having autism really make someone different in a bad way? 

Another interesting point that comes with these articles is the idea of how genetics and the environment work together. While the study says that genetics is responsible 80% of the time, there is still another 20%. It is important to give all the factors appropriate consideration. Genetics needs to be taken into account more, but we also need to remind ourselves that it is almost always both. Our environment and our genes go hand in hand with each other. 

Above is an image of the genetic network for autism. It shows how complicated genetics can be and how autism does not rely on just one single thing. 

New Methods Needed for Growing Influenza Strains

The common practice of growing influenza viruses in chicken eggs has been found to be ineffective for human vaccinations. Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute studied H3N2, an influenza variant virus, in injected chicken eggs and discovered that there was a mutation in the hemagglutinin glycoprotein (HA), which binds the virus to cells. Why did this mutation occur? The virus needed to adapt to the chicken egg environment in order to survive and grow, therefore the virus created mutations- one of which being the L194P mutation in the HA. The L194P mutation changed a key protein that would bind more efficiently to bird cell receptors instead human cell receptors. Vaccine production companies were using the mutated version of the H3N2 virus in their products which ultimately proved to be 33 percent effective against the H3N2 virus.
This study shows the synergistic relationship between the environment and genetics. In our intro biology classes, we mostly learn about Mendelian genetics that is more clear cut and predictable, however real life problems can never be solved by a simple punnet square. This chicken egg study proves exactly why many other factors, such as the environment, can also influence genetics. Both genetics and the environment amplified the effects on human immunology in this study. I think it will be really interesting to see what and how scientists decide is the next best mammalian model to grow strains in.

References:
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/10/171030134625.htm
http://www.virology.ws/2009/12/10/influenza-virus-growth-in-eggs/

A DNA-based Vaccine for the Zika Virus

The infamous Zika Virus has been on the rise ever since the recent outbreak which began in 2015. Ever since, it has spread around the globe through Africa, Asia, South America, and North America. The Zika Virus is transmitted by mosquito bites. Further, the virus is sexuallytransmitted. The symptoms of the Zika Virus are headaches, fever, bloodshot eyes, rashes, muscle pain, and joint pain. In pregnant women, the child can be born with an abnormally small-sized head and will show the same symptoms previously listed. The infant can be tested for Zika using reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction or serologic testing. Serologic testing is a method that looks to see if there are antibodies present in the blood.

Primarily, scientists studied animals that were naturally resistant to the virus. Then, they decided to work with animals that were susceptible to the virus. Scientists first injected these animals with the virus to ensure they were infected.  Next, the scientists gave the animals a synthetic, DNA-based vaccine that they developed. The vaccine has shown to produce antigen-specific antibodies and T cell responses that prevented the virus from infecting the organism. The virus was neutralized by the vaccine and caused no damage to the organism. Through this vaccine, the virus was unable to spread to the animal’s brain. This is what causes the abnormally small-sized head in infants infected with Zika. These animals were then injected with the virus again and still no change was observed. This result was seen in one hundred percent of the animals used in the study.

Currently, the DNA-based vaccine is being administered in two human clinical studies. It is so great to see what the power of genetic engineering can accomplish. The scientists were able to produce a synthetic strain of DNA to use in the vaccine produced. It is very interesting to me how they knew which base pairs to use and what DNA sequence would fight against the virus. Additionally, I am curious if they used a desired DNA sequence that codes for a specific protein needed to inhibit the virus from attacking the organism. Zika has, and still is, affecting so much of the population around the world. Scientists being successful with the vaccine on the human studies will help many individuals to be safe from the destructive disease. 

Serious Flu Risk Could be Identified with Genetic Test

A recent study shows that a person's genetic make-up could make them pre-disposed to severe infections. A genetic test has been created to identify people and assess their risk to contracting the Flu. The test is being used to encourage people to get seasonal vaccination. Approximately 1/400 people carry a variant of gene IFITM3 , which "normally encodes a protein that helps the body's cells resist viral infection, but this natural defense is impaired in people who carry the mutated version of the gene."(theGuardian)

I think this is interesting because I personally have never gotten the flu nor the flu vaccine, and thankfully never gotten sick. Now that there is a genetic test to see if a person is pre-disposed to getting seriously ill, maybe it will cut down on how many vaccines need to be administered.


Original Article

Protection Without a Vaccine?

In February 2015, scientists at Scripps Research Institute said that they were able to develop an artificial antibody that, after being injected into monkeys infected with HIV, was able to inactivate the virus and protect them from future infections. They haven't limited this to just HIV, but Ebola, malaria, influenza and hepatitis as well. Dr. Michael Farzan, among other scientists at Scripps, believes that this treatment is a very large step forward against HIV. According to the article, it is not a vaccine, but rather re-engineering the animals in order to boost their immunity and cause resistance. The first human trial is still underway and there are several others planned for the future. 

 Whether or not it will work in humans is still a question. Again, it is not a vaccine and therefore may take some convincing in the community. Vaccines work by triggering the immune system to create antibodies in order to fight off the disease by introducing weakened or dead pathogens. Their work, however, is a gene therapy isolating particular genes that produce the powerful antibodies and also synthesizing artificial ones, because vaccines aren't always effective. The reason HIV vaccines aren't very effective is because there are multiple strains and a vaccine can only protect against one of them. Dr. Baltimore states that it is essentially going around the immune system rather than trying to stimulate it. 

I think that it's an interesting idea, although a human trial is necessary before I can have a proper opinion on it. It's understandable why people may not want synthetic modification in their bodies because who knows how long it might take to see any repercussions, if there are any. Vaccines are still very important, but if this can help with diseases where vaccines fail, then it could be a very good and useful things. But again, a human trial is necessary because even if it worked in their animal testing, that doesn't mean it will be guaranteed to work with humans the same way.

Mice Cured of Rabies after Virus Reached Infectious Stage.

Rabies is a global neurological zoonotic virus that is entirely preventable with appropriate vaccinations. This infection is usually deadly due to the body succumbing to the effects of brain swelling and spinal cord trauma. Transmission is via saliva (bite wounds being most common) and in humans, signs sometimes don't show for up to one year. Most animals show signs and die in 14 days.

Researchers at the University of Georgia have developed a new vaccine against rabies using a slightly different approach compared to the conventional modified live rabies vaccine. A surface protein from the Rabies virus was inserted into a completely different virus called "PIV5", which stands for canine parainfluenza virus 5. Canine parainfluenza is a very common upper respiratory virus transmitted between domesticated dogs and wild canines.  PIV5 delivers the rabies protein to the immune system and enables the body to start creating antibodies against the rabies virus.  At this time, there are no concerns of human transmission of parainfluenza from this vaccine, as PIV5 is not a zoonotic or human virus.  6 days after rabies infection, the mice began displaying signs of rabies having spread to their central nervous system. 50% of the infected mice in this study showing signs of rabies were cured. Researchers are hopeful that this may be a safer vaccine for the future due to it only using surface proteins.

Working in the veterinary field, I have seen more rabies positive wildlife in the past 2 years than I have in the past 10 years, which exposes great risk to our communities.  About 10 days ago, the veterinary hospital I work for submitted a racoon for rabies testing and we were notified soon after that it was a positive specimen. Rabies is a real problem, and not enough people take it seriously.  This is a fantastic revelation for rabies vaccine research and development. It was once thought to be hopeless to cure a person or animal infected with rabies once they showed the neurological deficits of the virus.  Let this be a step in the right direction for advanced rabies treatment and possible cures.  Please vaccinate your pets!  Click here to find the closest free rabies clinic to you!

Here is also an informative video of an actual rabies infected person.

 
Article: Beating the clock: UGA researchers develop new treatment for rabies

Additional Links:CBC - Rabies Structure of PIV5 Rabies Facts & Prevention

FLY GENOME COULD HELP US IMPROVE HEALTH AND OUR ENVIRONMENT

The house fly's (Musca domestica) genome (691 Mb) has been sequenced and researched by numerous scientists to conclude that it can be used to aid humans with "toxic and disease causing environments." Musca domestica's ability to decompose waste and carry hundreds of human diseases like typhoid, tuberculosis and worms, make them important to study: sequencing their genome can promote human health and perhaps also allow us to live in toxic environments.

Scientists sequenced the genomes of six female houseflies to compare them to the Drosophila melanogaster genome (123 Mb) to find that certain genes were only in a house fly. The house fly had more diverse immune genes and contained unique detoxification genes compared to the fruit flies.

I believe that sequencing the genomes of house flies will be very important and helpful to scientists when developing new treatments and/or vaccines for humans. Perhaps humans may be immune to such diseases house flies are immune to one day. The detoxification genes in house flies that help break down waste will also aid us in improving the environment and handle human waste. Even though house flies are a nuisance, they may have more of a positive effect than a negative.

Article:
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/283867.php
Related Article:

http://www.bbc.com/news/health-29596438

Aluminum Vaccines and DNA

An article from Science Daily describes how DNA plays a roll in alum vaccines.

Vaccines have been used for years to help the immune system fight off infectious organisms.  Ones containing life organisms work efficiently alone however vaccines containing dead organisms or inactivated vaccines usually need substances know as adjuvants to facilitate the immune response.  Aluminum slats or alum are the only adjuvants approved for use in the United States and are regularly used in vaccines today.  Alum works by making T cells take a longer look at the antigen producing a more intense immune response however noone fully understands why this happens.

Recently researchers have discovered that DNA plays a vital roll in the adjuvant effect.  This was proven by injecting vaccine with DNase(a DNA digesting enzyme) the vaccine was less effect.  This is what the Nation Jewish Health team used to observe the impact of DNA.  Initially they had found that the process starts much like the initiation responses in bacterial infections.  Immune system responders like Neutrophils move to the site of the infections, attack the infection (or in our case the alum vaccine) then die.  When they die they release DNA and that DNA unravels.  This is used to catch the foreign agent.  Other cells then engulf the DNA-alum-vaccine complex.  After these antigen-presenting cells use a little of the vaccine on the surface for T-cells to recognize; T-cells are the main players in adaptive immune response.  Given these findings they next showed that adjuvants with a DNA coating engage the T-cell much longer then ones that DNase were added.  The DNA makes the antigen-presenting cell more attractive.  This extended engagement allows for a more intense immune response.