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US scientists have recruited a curious ally in their efforts to develop a flu treatment: the llama.
The blood of this South American animal was used to produce a new antibody treatment able to fight against all types of influenza including pandemics.
The flu is one of the most skilful diseases when it is about changing shape, and constantly alters to escape our immune system, which is why vaccines are not always effective and every winter a new injection is needed to prevent it.
That's why science is looking for a way to put an end to everything. the types of influenza, whatever their origin or mutation,
and to is the location of the llama best known for its wool.
These animals, typical of the Andes, produce incredibly small antibodies compared to ours
Antibodies are the weapons of the immune system and adhere to proteins that protrude from the surface of the virus.
Human antibodies tend to attack the ends of these proteins, but this is the part where the flu changes the fastest.
While anti-flame antibodies use their advantageous size to coil deeper and attack parts that the flu does not have
Synthetic Antibodies
A team from the Scripps Institute in California has infected llamas with several types of flu to elicit an immune response.
They then explored the blood of these auquenides in search of More potent antibodies that can attack a wide variety of influenza strains.
Scientists eventually chose four and then began developing their
. 459006] own synthetic antibody using elements of each.
The result was tested on mice receiving lethal doses of influenza.
"It is very effective, there were 60 types of different viruses that were used in the challenge and only one was not neutralized and it is a virus that does not affect humans, "said Professor Ian Wilson, one of the researchers, at the BBC Science in Action program
" The goal is to provide something that works from station to station and also protects you from pandemics, the case appropriate, "explained the scientist.
The work was published in the scientific journal Science and is still in its infancy, and the team wishes to perform more tests before starting to do tests on the man.
The Holy Grail
The researchers used two different techniques. during the administration of an animal antibody
The first was to inject them and the second, to gene therapy .
Genetic instructions for the development of antibody were packaged in a harmless virus which was then used to infect the nose of mice.
And the cells of the mucous membrane of the nose began to produce anti-influenza antibody.
An additional benefit is that could work in the elderly.
The older the immune system and seasonal vaccines, the poorer it was. the flu loses its effectiveness.
But this flame-based treatment does not need to train our immune system.
Professor Jonathan Ball, of the University of Nottingham, told the BBC: "Having a treatment that can work in a variety of strains of the virus is something very long. Holy Grail of the flu . "
" There will be an appetite (for treatment), but it will depend on how it works, how much the face is going to be, "he noted.
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