Scientific discovery could lead to universal viral vaccine

Normally when scientists are developing viral vaccines, they are working with individual viruses and making vaccines for those specific viruses. Researchers have just found, however, that the "weak point" of most viruses is a single gene. This discovery could have dramatic implications for viral vaccines; if we can figure out how to create a vaccine that protects the body against this protein, then we will have effectively made a vaccine that protects us from the majority of viruses.

Researchers at the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) in the US have uncovered the ‘Achilles’ heel’ of most viruses which plague mankind, and could soon develop a universal vaccine.

The so-called ‘Achilles heel’ (or vulnerable point) of most viruses is actually just a simple protein named AGO4

When studying mice, researchers found that only cells deficient in AGO4 were hypersensitive to infections like the influenza virus. So once they can figure out how to reinforce our bodies’ natural defences with AGO4, viruses will no longer stand a chance of infecting us, theoretically at least.

Source

a reply to: trollz

This reminds me of a supposed AIDS cure I read about many years ago:

"At the core of this discovery is reverse transcriptase -- the villain in this
story and a submicroscopic protein not normally found in healthy human cells.
The team believes RT is the ideal protein to disable because it offers so many
opportunities to be blocked."

This story was published in 2004. It's really kind of amazing 16 years later there is still "no cure" for AIDS.

Original story:

"The AIDS virus is a quick-change artist that copies itself at lighting speed.
But a team of scientists at Rutgers believes it can outsmart the killer."
Sunday, December 12, 2004
BY KITTA MacPHERSON
Star-Ledger Staff

"To change the world, Eddy Arnold has always tried to think small.
For nearly 20 years, the Rutgers University chemist has obsessively dismantled
the AIDS virus to untangle its deadly submicroscopic machinery.
And it is there, in the complex world of the minuscule, he believes he finally
has found a magic bullet that stops AIDS in its tracks.
Arnold and his coterie of researchers have developed what they regard as three
revolutionary AIDS drugs, each part of a family they call DAPY (which rhymes
with happy).

The drugs, they believe, can destroy HIV, the deadly virus that causes AIDS.
To do this, the drugs do as HIV does when it devours immune systems: They change
shape. Put another way, DAPYs are a master key that can fit any strand of the
virus, regardless of how it tries to disguise itself.

As Arnold says: "We're onto something very, very special."
Understanding and controlling this flexibility in a treatment is crucial because
HIV's biggest challenge to science and medicine has been its ability to
consistently mutate, outrunning any drug or vaccine custom-designed to quash it.

And unlike other treatments that focus on blocking HIV from entering healthy
cells or from containing contaminated ones, DAPYs literally douse a lit
firecracker by interfering with any of the 20,000 steps HIV takes to copy itself
at warp speed. "

We seem to be living in a society where profit is more important than healing sick people.

Maybe if they were to investigate what blocks the AGO4 production, they could eliminate the chemistry from people's diets and we would not be so succeptable to viruses. AGO is a genetic trait, diet and chemicals in the environment can alter the creation of this protein.

I am thinking the path they are investigating is not going to work very well, I would not even consider getting this vaccine till I observed some human trial and real life side effect data related to this. I think that the Japanese are on a better path of finding a universal vaccine.

a reply to: trollz
that is good news

a reply to: trollz

Normally when scientists are developing viral vaccines, they are working with individual viruses and making vaccines for those specific viruses. Researchers have just found, however, that the "weak point" of most viruses is a single gene. This discovery could have dramatic implications for viral vaccines; if we can figure out how to create a vaccine that protects the body against this protein, then we will have effectively made a vaccine that protects us from the majority of viruses.

I think a lot of diseases have "cures" but there's no profit in that. The profit is in keeping people sick.

Capitalism is the operating principal in America, not like those socialist in Europe. Who wants that?

So all we have to do is go to socialist Europe, get cured and fly home. Thanks for the tip!

originally posted by: underpass61
So all we have to do is go to socialist Europe, get cured and fly home. Thanks for the tip!

There's no need to go to Europe. There are group medical and dental flights to Costa Rica. Vacation plus healthcare is a thing in CR and the fishing is kickass in Quepos and some decent shore breaks in Limon Provence.


www.cnbc.com...

a reply to: olaru12

Cool, as long as they have got all these "cures" the sick capitalists are hiding from us. And I'm not talking about apricot pits or some other hokey crap. If capitalism is suppressing the cure for profit, what's the socialist's excuse? Capitalist scientists are smarter? Can't afford the research (too poor)? Couldn't give a crap if you live or die? You know Germany doesn't waste oxygen on the elderly because when they get it they tend to live longer. That's some great health care boy.

originally posted by: trollz
The so-called ‘Achilles heel’ (or vulnerable point) of most viruses is actually just a simple protein named AGO4

When studying mice, researchers found that only cells deficient in AGO4 were hypersensitive to infections like the influenza virus. So once they can figure out how to reinforce our bodies’ natural defences with AGO4, viruses will no longer stand a chance of infecting us, theoretically at least.

So once again our bodies natural defenses turn out to be the best way to fight illnesses. A few weeks ago I saw some similar news about cancer, the human body has many mechanisms to fight cancer, it's typically when those mechanisms fail that we do get cancer. That's why it's so important to analyze the difference between healthy people and people with cancer so they we can recover the natural immune defenses of sick people. Interestingly, that's the same approach that Burzynski used to develop Antineoplastons, he found that healthy people had certain amino acids and peptides in their blood and urine which people with cancer were lacking. I would highly recommend watching the doco about Burzynski called Cancer Is Serious Business for anyone who hasn't seen it. It's amazing how the establishment tools are trying to discredit him but he keeps winning in court against them, nothing disgusts me more than cretins who profit of sickness and suppress viable treatments.

a reply to: trollz

GOOD NEWS doesn't get much attention inside a conspiracy oriented worst-case-scenario forum, lol.