Llamas could be the key to complete protection against the flu

Can a nasal spray of lama protein protect you from the flu?

Llamas could hide the solution for long-term protection against the flu. The researchers have discovered an unusual antibody in the immune system of llamas and camels, which effectively protects against all known strains of influenza that may pose a danger to humans. From these antibodies, they developed a nasal spray designed to provide universal protection against the flu.

A research group from the Belgian company Janssen Infectious Diseases has succeeded in producing a nasal spray of lamaproteins, which should offer universal protection against all influenza viruses. The first experiments on the animal model gave good results. The new superprotein has been effective in protecting mice from any known influenza strain. The results of the study were recently published in the journal "Science".

Why llamas can protect us from the flu

As the researchers report, antibodies in llamas are exceptionally small. They do not have a specific peptide chain, which gives a voluminous form to other antibodies. The thin form of antibodies allows them to penetrate deeper into viruses and kill them more effectively. On this basis, the scientific team has managed to develop what are called nano-antibodies, which penetrate deeply into the gaps of viruses and can thus attack places that their larger colleagues do not have. never reach.

Not tested on the human

Until now, the spray has not been tested on humans. The research group itself is struggling to declare that it has created a universal vaccine because influenza viruses are constantly evolving. Nevertheless, the results are promising and attract the attention of the international community.

Current protection against inadequate flu

The flu caused mbadive deaths and caused real waves of disease each year. Although the current influenza vaccine is the best we have against the flu, vaccination in the elderly only confers a 50% protection against the virus. Nevertheless, the elderly in particular should be vaccinated against the flu. A universal nasal spray for the flu would be a blessing for the elderly and debilitated.

About the research

To generate the nano-antibodies against the flu, the researchers injected the llamas with a vaccine containing three different influenza viruses and a viral surface protein of two other viral strains. The immune system of the lamas then generated the newly discovered antibodies. The team finally succeeded in creating a protein that unites the four anti-Lama antibodies. This four-in-one superprotein was able to counter 60 different influenza viruses from type A and type B groups in laboratory tests.

Seized mice

In a first animal experiment, mice received the synthetic antibody. Subsequently, they were infected with various influenza strains. According to the researchers, in the group receiving the new vaccine, the survival rate was significantly higher than in the control group without antibodies.

Efficiency has never been so great

Professor Ian Wilson works at the Scripps Research Institute in California. The experienced scientist has already published more than 50 articles on anti-influenza antibodies. He explained to the Science Journal that he had never seen greater magnitude and greater effectiveness with an anti-flu antibody.

Is the antibody identified as being foreign by humans?

Immunologist James Crowe is a specialist in influenza antibodies and vaccine designers at Vanderbilt University in Nashville. He warns that the human immune system could interpret the llama's antibodies as invaders and even form antibodies against them. The new super protein still needs to be thoroughly tested before the anti-llama antibodies are released into humans. (Vb)