This article is about research that showed that IgY can still neutralize the Omicron variant in flavored drinks.
Recently, I published Egg Yolk Antibody IgY for COVID-19. In it, I introduced Immunoglobulin Y (IgY) from chicken eggs. Hens protect their future chicks by producing antibodies or immunoglobulins and putting them in their egg yolk.
Once the chicks hatch, the IgY protects them against viruses for at least three weeks until they develop their active immune system.
IgY has been studied and used for other viruses like Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), rotavirus, influenza, Zika, dengue, Ebola, and the SARS virus.
They are easy and inexpensive to produce in vast quantities. IgY prevents infection by blocking the entry of viruses into the host’s cells.
IgY is instilled into the nose or ingested orally. They are not digestible or absorbed in the nasal mucosa or the intestines.
And since IgY does not enter the systemic circulation, they do not stimulate the immune system to trigger autoimmunity and other adverse reactions.
Groups that will benefit from IgY
This makes IgY ideal for the elderly and the immune-compromised who cannot mount an effective immune response to active immunization like mRNA shots (Pfizer, Moderna) and vector vaccines (AstraZeneca and Johnson and Johnson).
Women and the younger age groups are more prone to develop an autoimmune response to the current COVID shots available.
Like health care workers, people who are always exposed to the mutating SARS-CoV-2 can also benefit instead of getting booster shots.
Making IgY
Two studies from the same authors are presented here. The first showed how they made ingestible IgY that can block SARS-CoV-2.[1]
The first step is to create an antigen to make the hens produce the IgY. They didn’t have to infect the chickens with SARS-CoV-2 thru the nose.
Instead, they recreated the protein sequence of the Receptor-Binding Domain (RBD) based on available information. The RBD is part of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that attaches to the human ACE2 receptor.
The sequence is below. Each letter represents an amino acid. From the sequence, a peptide chain can be made.
VFNATRFASV YAWNRKRISN CVADYSVLYN SASFSTFKCY
GVSPTKLNDL CFTNVYADSF VIRGDEVRQI APGQTGKIAD
YNYKLPDDFT GCVIAWNSNN LDSKVGGNYN YLYRLFRKSN
LKPFERDIST EIYQAGSTPC NGVEGFNCYF PLQSYGFQPT
NGVGYQPYRV VVLSFELLHA PATVCGPKKS TNLVKNKCVN
FNFNGLTGTG VLTESNKKFL PFQQFGRDIA DTTDAVRDPQ
TLEILDITPC SFGGVSVITP GTNTSNQVAV LYQDVNCTEV PVAIHADQLT PTWRVYSTGS NVFQ
Next, they injected the RBD protein sequence into the hens several times so that the chickens would produce enough antibodies against RBD.
As an aside, the technology above can be used to make the smallpox virus for bioterrorism which the World Health Organization warned about. — A Smallpox Epidemic is More Possible than You Think
Back to the study, they extracted the IgY, checked it for purity, and tested their effectiveness in neutralizing the Wuhan SARS-CoV-2 and the Delta variant RBD. At the time of this research, October 2021, the Delta variant is the most predominant.
Both showed effectiveness in blocking or neutralizing the viruses of both variants but also prevented cell death using the plaque reduction neutralization test (PRNT).
Monoclonal vs. Polyclonal
You may have heard of monoclonal antibodies that were used for COVID-19. They are called such because they only bind to specific parts (epitopes) of the virus.
The FDA has given many monoclonal antibodies emergency-use authorization for COVID-19. However, many of these authorizations have been revoked by the FDA because as the SARS-CoV-2 mutates, the monoclonal antibodies become ineffective. Examples are the ones made by Regeneron and Eli Lilly.
In contrast, egg yolk IgY is polyclonal. Because of that, an IgY produced by the hen injected with one variant of SARS-CoV-2 can produce IgYs that are useful against the Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron variants.
I discussed them in Egg Yolk Antibody IgY for COVID-19.
IgY in drinks
In the second study, the authors mixed the IgY with flavored beverages to make an oral rinse and tested them with the Native, Delta, and Omicron strains. IgY, being polyclonal, was able to inhibit all.[2]
The figure below shows the 100% percent inhibition of ACE2 by using 50 ugs of IgY against Wuhan, Delta, and Omicron RBDs at 0.25ug/ml.
The Omicron differs from the earlier variants because it resides in the upper throat rather than the lungs. This preference makes viral pneumonia less and explains why Omicron has a lower mortality rate.
Next, the investigators mixed the IgY with several flavors. Raspberry, chocolate, strawberry, lemon, peppermint, and grape.
The highest neutralizing activity was with raspberry, grape, chocolate, and peppermint. Strawberry is medium, and lemon is low.
Both are still preprints and have not been peer-reviewed. The same group of authors made both papers.
Half of the authors are affiliated with Reagene Biosciences Pvt Ltd in India.
IgY is available OTC
Their website has ImmunIgY, which is available over the counter.
In the US, ImmunIgY has been launched by Lay Sciences Inc (USA) (www.laysciences.com) and distributed in the UK, US, and Austria by https://myimmunigy.com/.
I have no financial connections with any of these companies. I’m only providing this for informational purposes.
Comment:
ImmunIgY is used orally. To protect the nasal area against SARS-CoV-2 and other respiratory viruses, I will still use,
- Nasal Povidone Iodine Works Great for the Prevention and Early Treatment of COVID-19!
- Nasal rinse and deep gargle stop viral respiratory infections in their tracks.
Don’t Get Sick!
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