A new study aimed to improve vaccines for the COVID-19 epidemic. The researchers narrowed down the part of the SARS-CoV- 2 that makes it more infectious.
However, in doing so, they made a recombinant virus that is more infectious and lethal.
The study, Role of spike in the pathogenic and antigenic behavior of SARS-CoV-2 BA.1 Omicron, is a preprint published in BioRxiv.
The study used the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant and a recombinant virus to compare infectiousness and virulence. As you probably know, the Omicron variant is highly transmissible but much less deadly.
The engineered virus is made of the spike protein of the Omicron variant and an ancestral SARS-CoV-2 with a D614G mutation. They called the chimeric virus Omi-S.
The D614G mutation made the SARS-CoV-2 more infectious and allowed it to spread in Europe and the USA in the early parts of the pandemic.
The viruses were tested on different cell cultures and genetically modified mice with human ACE2 receptors.
Long story short, the recombinant Omi-S reproduced faster, was more infectious, and deadlier than the Omicron variant, with an 80% mortality rate.
To compare, Ebola has a mortality rate of 50%.
In addition, the Omi-S evaded the vaccine-induced neutralizing antibodies (Pfizer and Moderna), making it very infectious among the vaccinated, just like the Omicron.
Below are the details.
Effects of the Omi-S recombinant in cell lines
- Spread faster in the infected cells than the Omicron
- Replicated more than 5.1-fold and 5.5-fold at 12 and 24 hours, respectively, in different cell types compared to Omicron.
- The Omi-S yielded a 5-fold higher infectious viral particles at 48 hours post-infection than the Omicron.
Effects of the Omi-S in mice
- Omi-S produced 30-fold more infectious viral particles compared to Omicron-infected mice at 2-days post-infection.
- Omi-S virus caused a severe bronchiolar infection (epithelial necrosis) in 15-20% of the bronchioles. In contrast, less than 1% of the bronchioles are infected in Omicron-infected mice.
- 80% of mice infected with the Omicron spike lost 20% of their body weight by nine days post-infection and had more severe disease. In contrast, the Omicron-infected mice showed little to no signs of illness.
- Omi-S had a mortality rate of 80%, while all the Omicron-infected mice survived.
With regards to the results of improving vaccines, the study pinpointed the mutations in the Omicron variant involved in receptor engagement that can be targeted to make the shots more effective.
The authors are from the Boston University School of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School in the US, the University Hospital Erlangen, and the Gutenberg University in Germany.
Comment:
While the reason for the study is made in good faith to improve vaccines, let us hope and pray that nobody uses the methods described in the research to mass produce bioweapons that can kill even the vaccinated.
The study did not include those who had natural immunity.
Truth heals. Lies kill. Don’t Get Sick!
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Reference:
Chen et al. Role of spike in the pathogenic and antigenic behavior of SARS-CoV-2 BA.1 Omicron.
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