Spotted at the start of the epidemic in an American patient, this antibody would be 560 times more powerful than the others. Thanks to 3D images, researchers have managed to visualize how it works.
- Spotted in the blood sample of an American patient, this antibody prevents the coronavirus from clinging to cell receptors
It is called CV30 and helps our body get rid of the novel coronavirus. This “Great“antibody was studied by researchers at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. They managed to trace its action through 3D images. Their work is published in the specialized journal NatureCommunications.
A double action of the antibody
This antibody was identified in a blood sample taken from a patient in Washington at the very beginning of the pandemic. Compared to dozens of other antibodies naturally generated by the body, this one was up to 530 times more powerful. “Our study shows that this antibody neutralizes the virus through two mechanisms, says Marie Pancera, co-author of the study. The first is to overlap the targets of the virus on human cells, the second causes a separation of part of the spike”. The spicule is a kind of ear, on the surface of the virus.
In the body of an infected person, Sars-CoV-2 targets the ACE2 receptor, a protein located on the surface of cells in lung tissue and blood vessels. CV30 prevents the virus from attaching to these receptors, which no longer allows it to infect cells. In parallel, it shears the spicules present on the surface of SARS-CoV-2. The images which made it possible to understand the action of the antibody were produced using very powerful X-rays, produced using a synchrotron. This giant device is rare: there are only 40 on the planet.
A therapeutic benefit?
Several labs are working on antibody-related treatments, including therapies called “convalescent plasma transfer” : they consist in transfusing the blood of cured patients to infected people. So far, studies show limited effectiveness. The “monoclonal antibody cocktails” are one of the other avenues, it involves making antibodies in the laboratory, then injecting them into infected patients or for prevention. The researchers hope that these discoveries on CV30 will be useful in this research on prevention and treatment. treatment of Covid-19.”It’s too early to tell”tempers Marie Pancera.
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