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Immunity to COVID-19: Spike Protein Docking Site Is Achilles’ Heel of the Coronavirus
https://scitechdaily.com ^ | SEPTEMBER 16, 2021 | By MEDICAL UNIVERSITY OF VIENNA

Posted on 09/16/2021 6:19:42 AM PDT by Red Badger

Around 20% of those who have recovered from Covid-19 fail to develop immune protection against SARS-CoV-2, according to a MedUni Vienna research team led by allergologist and immunologist Rudolf Valenta from the Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology. Their study found that the crucial immune protection that prevents the virus from docking and invasion of the body’s cells only occurs when a person is able to form specific antibodies against the folded receptor binding domain (RBD) of the spike protein. This docking site does not change significantly in with mutations of the virus. However, some people are unable to do this so for various reasons. An antigen-based vaccine targeting RBD could provide a solution, but such a vaccine is not yet available. The study was published in the leading journal Allergy.

A year ago, a research team led by study directors Rudolf Valenta and Winfried F. Pickl from MedUni Vienna’s Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology investigated the immune status of an initial cohort of patients who had recovered from a mild course of COVID-19. One of the findings at the time was that a significant proportion of infected patients were unable to form protective antibodies against SARS-CoV-2.

In the recently published follow-up study, Valenta and his team analyzed the antibody response of a larger cohort following mild and severe SARS-CoV-2 infection. The study used microarray (chip) technology developed at MedUni Vienna, in which a large number of viral antigens are applied to a microscopic chip by a robotic spotting machine. In addition, overlapping protein fragments (peptides) of these viral antigens were fixed to onto the chip, covering the entire spike protein on which the receptor binding domain (RBD) is located. This is the domain with which the SARS-CoV-2 virus binds to the ACE2 receptor of human cells.

The researchers expected to see an immune response to the peptides, but antibodies were exclusively formed against the intact, three-dimensionally folded spike protein. Proteins acquire their three-dimensional shape through the physically induced process of protein folding. It now appears that the SARS-CoV-2 virus needs the three-dimensionally folded protein to dock onto the body’s cells. Only an antibody response against the folded protein, but not against parts of it, protects against infection.

This leads to one major conclusion: high antibody levels against the folded spike protein, and especially against the RBD it contains, prevent the virus from binding to human cells. However, if someone is unable to form antibodies against the folded RBD, the person will not be well protected. The researchers also showed that only the folded RBD, but not unfolded RBD, generates immune protection upon immunization. Since the genetic vaccines currently in use mimic infection, it is possible that vaccination breakthroughs can may be explained by the failure to develop antibodies against folded RBD.

In summary, it can therefore be concluded that people who sufficiently form antibodies against folded RBD are protected against SARS-CoV-2 infections. These antibodies are readily measurable in the blood with neutralization tests. Unfortunately, 20% of those who have recovered from Covid-19 – and likely those who have been vaccinated – fail to produce these antibodies. Valenta explains: “We urgently need to develop an RBD-based antigen vaccine which is engineered to overcome the RBD non-responsiveness. This vaccine would be highly effective in inducing RBD-specific and thus neutralizing antibodies, whose levels could be kept high by booster vaccinations. In this way we could also to exploit the “Achilles’ heel” of the virus, whose docking site does not change significantly with mutations, Valenta adds.

Reference: “Neutralization of SARS-CoV-2 requires antibodies against conformational receptor-binding domain epitopes” by Pia Gattinger, Katarzyna Niespodziana, Karin Stiasny, Sabina Sahanic, Inna Tulaeva, Kristina Borochova, Yulia Dorofeeva, Thomas Schlederer, Thomas Sonnweber, Gerhard Hofer, Renata Kiss, Bernhard Kratzer, Doris Trapin, Peter A. Tauber, Arno Rottal, Ulrike Körmöczi, Melanie Feichter, Milena Weber, Margarete Focke-Tejkl, Judith Löffler-Ragg, Bernhard Mühl, Anna Kropfmüller, Walter Keller, Frank Stolz, Rainer Henning, Ivan Tancevski, Elisabeth Puchhammer-Stöckl, Winfried F. Pickl and Rudolf Valenta, 28 August 2021, Allergy.

DOI: 10.1111/all.15066


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Health/Medicine; Science; Society
KEYWORDS: anthonyfauci; ccr5delta32; ccr5gene; covidstooges; delta32; obamacare; smallpox; spikeprotein; vaccinemandates

1 posted on 09/16/2021 6:19:42 AM PDT by Red Badger
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To: Red Badger
failure to develop antibodies against folded RBD.

they are making the vaccine against the wrong target,

2 posted on 09/16/2021 6:32:36 AM PDT by mjp (pro-freedom & pro-wealth $)
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To: mjp

Bkmk


3 posted on 09/16/2021 6:47:49 AM PDT by kelly4c
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To: mjp

“failure to develop antibodies against folded RBD.
they are making the vaccine against the wrong target,”

Real science wow: Only 20% of the covid infected people don’t develop the antibodies. I wonder if this antibody will be lifetime, if so, we should see a decrease in infections next year.

They still need to develop the vaccine for the last 20%.


4 posted on 09/16/2021 6:50:45 AM PDT by DEPcom (Make the enemy live up to its own book of rules)
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To: mjp

Gee you should have told them this a year ago.


5 posted on 09/16/2021 6:52:42 AM PDT by bigbob
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To: Red Badger
I am not anti covid vax, I think its a good idea for certain groups of people.

That said, it seems like a swing and a miss, or perhaps a foul ball, on the first Vaccines. This article probably explains the "leakiness" of these vax's, and gives a bit more credence to Geert Vanden Bossche's hypothesis of ADE.

6 posted on 09/16/2021 7:09:27 AM PDT by Paradox (Don't call them mainstream, there is nothing mainstream about the MSM.)
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To: Red Badger

—> Around 20% of those who have recovered from Covid-19 fail to develop immune protection against SARS-CoV-2

Whereas a quarterly subscription to the Clot Shot …


7 posted on 09/16/2021 7:14:38 AM PDT by aMorePerfectUnion (Fraud vitiates everything ᡕᠵ᠊ᡃ࡚ࠢ࠘ ⸝່ࠡࠣ᠊߯᠆ࠣ࠘ᡁࠣ࠘᠊᠊ࠢ࠘𐡏⁻ )
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To: aMorePerfectUnion

Backpack vaccine holders are now being designed for the ultimate protection. There will be classes given to train people to start their on IV’s. Anyone caught not wearing said back pack will be inoculated with a Trocar needle to insure the proper dosage of chemicals.


8 posted on 09/16/2021 8:04:19 AM PDT by oldasrocks
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To: Red Badger
I think the trick here is to avoid the CCP virus and all the various vaccines. If you've had the virus, a D-Dimer blood test which detects only recent blood clots could prove instructive.
9 posted on 09/16/2021 8:16:57 AM PDT by upchuck (The longer I remain unjabbed, the more evidence I see supporting my decision. Psalm 144:5-6)
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To: oldasrocks

😂😂😂


10 posted on 09/16/2021 8:42:46 AM PDT by aMorePerfectUnion (Fraud vitiates everything ᡕᠵ᠊ᡃ࡚ࠢ࠘ ⸝່ࠡࠣ᠊߯᠆ࠣ࠘ᡁࠣ࠘᠊᠊ࠢ࠘𐡏⁻ )
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To: Red Badger

Hold up…

If they RECOVERED, how could they not have antibodies?

What beat the virus, wishful thinking? Positive vibes?


11 posted on 09/16/2021 8:52:05 AM PDT by joethedrummer
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To: upchuck

Good advice....only, I would change/add....if you’ve had the virus, and, especially the “VAX”, a d-dimer blood test....


12 posted on 09/16/2021 8:52:30 AM PDT by Jane Long (America, Bless God....blessed be the Nation.)
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To: joethedrummer

FRom what I can tell, 20% develop a immune response that responds to the Spike Protein on the surface of the virus and not the ‘binder’ protein that allows it to enter the cells, or something like that...................


13 posted on 09/16/2021 9:03:13 AM PDT by Red Badger (Homeless veterans camp in the streets while illegal aliens are put up in hotels.....................)
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To: Red Badger

Sounds like natural immunity isn’t necessarily so and shouldn’t be an excuse to avoid vaccines


14 posted on 09/16/2021 9:22:31 AM PDT by newzjunkey (“We Did It Joe!” - The Taliban /s)
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To: Red Badger; AdmSmith; AnonymousConservative; Arthur Wildfire! March; Berosus; Bockscar; ...

15 posted on 09/16/2021 10:17:38 AM PDT by SunkenCiv (Imagine an imaginary menagerie manager imagining managing an imaginary menagerie.)
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