While successful COVID-19 vaccines should have heralded the benefits of mRNA vaccines, at the same time fear and misinformation circulated about their supposed dangers. These misconceptions about mRNA vaccines have recently evolved into concerns about whether their use in livestock could expose humans to vaccine components.in products of animal originlike meat or milk.
In fact, many states are developing or considering legislation banning the use of mRNA vaccines in edible animals, or at the very least requiring them to be labeled on animal products in supermarkets.Idaho introduced a billthis would mean that administering any type of mRNA would be a misdemeanorVaccineany person or mammal, including a COVID-19 vaccine. ANDMissouri billwould require labelinganimal productsof animals that received mRNA vaccines but failed to leave the commission.ArizonaEUTennesseethey also proposed labeling projects.many others state legislaturesare discussing similar measures.
I amscientist who created vaccinesfor many years and began studying mRNA vaccines even before the start of the pandemic. My Usage ResearchmRNA vaccines against bovine respiratory viruseswas raised by social media users and anti-vaxcine activists who claim that using these vaccines in animals will endanger the health of the people who eat them.
But these vaccines have been shown to reduce disease on farms and it's nearly impossible for them to make it into food.
The traditional approach to animal vaccines
In edible animals,various types of vaccineshave long been available to farmers to protect their animals from common diseases. This includes inactivated vaccines that contain a killed version of the pathogen, live attenuated vaccines that contain a weakened version of the pathogen, and subunit vaccines that contain a part of the pathogen. All can provide a good level of protection against symptoms of disease and infection. The production of these vaccines isoften cheap.
However, each of these vaccineshas flaws.
Inactivated and subunit vaccines generally do not elicit a strong enough immune response, and pathogens can rapidly mutate into variants thatreduce the effectiveness of the vaccine. Attenuated pathogens in live attenuated vaccines are unlikelyturn backto its full pathogenic form or mixing with other circulating pathogens and becoming new vaccine resistant. To produce them, they also need to be grown in specific cell cultures, which can be time consuming.
also existsvarious pathogens— such as porcine respiratory and reproductive syndrome virus, foot-and-mouth disease virus, H5N1 influenza, and African swine fever virus — for which all three traditional approaches have yet to produce an effective vaccine.
Another major disadvantage of the three types of vaccines is thattake timetest and obtain federal approval for its use. Animal vaccines are generally acceptedthree or more yearsfrom development to licensing by the US Department of Agriculture. If new viruses reach farms, it can take a long time for traditional vaccines to catch up to contain an outbreak.
Advantages of animal mRNA vaccines
All cells use mRNA, which contains instructions for making the proteins needed to perform certain functions. The mRNA used in vaccines encodes instructions for making a protein from the pathogen of interestimmune cellslearn to recognize and attack. This process creates immune memory so that when a pathogen that carries the same protein enters the body, itimmune systemwill be ready to respond quickly and decisively against him.
Compared to traditional vaccines, mRNA vaccines have several advantages that make them ideal for protecting humans and animals against emerging and chronic diseases.
Unlike killed or subunit vaccines, mRNA vaccines increase the accumulation of vaccine proteins in cells over time and train the immune system using conditions that more closely resemble a viral infection. Like live attenuated vaccines, this process promotes the developmentstrong immune reactionswhich can build better protection. Unlike live attenuated viruses, mRNA vaccines cannot reverse pathogenicity or mix with circulating pathogens. Furthermore, when the genetic sequence of the pathogen of interest is known, mRNA vaccines can beproduced very quickly.
The mRNA in vaccines may be in a form structurally similar to that normally found in the body, such as that used in human COVID-19 vaccines, orauto-amplifier, called saRNA. Because saRNA allows for higher levels of protein synthesis, scientists believe that less mRNA is needed to produce a similar level of immunity. However, a SARNA COVID-19 vaccine for humans has been developedby the biopharmaceutical company CureVacinduced less protection than traditional mRNA approaches.
merck sequenceit is currently the only saRNA vaccine approved for use in animals and is available by prescription to protect pigs against swine flu.
Stability of mRNA vaccine components
All mRNA vaccines are made in the laboratory using methods that have beendeveloped decades ago. Only recently has technology advanced to the point where the organism does not immediately reject it, activating the defense mechanisms inherent in each cell. This rejection would happen before the immune system had a chance to react.
COVID-19 mRNA vaccines used in humansmix the modified nucleotides— RNA building blocks — with unmodified nucleotides that allow the mRNA to hide from the cell's internal virus sensors. These modified nucleotides allow the mRNA to survive in the body's cells for several days instead ofjust a few hourssuch as natural mRNA.
New methods of delivering vaccines using lipid nanoparticles also ensure that mRNA is not degraded before it has a chance to enter cells and start making proteins.
Despite this stability, mRNA vaccines do not persist long enough in animals after injection for any vaccine component to reach commercial shelves. Unlike human vaccines, animal vaccine manufacturers must specifyGrace periodfor USDA approval. This means that none of the vaccine components can be found in the animal before it is milked or slaughtered. Given the short lifespan of some farm animals and intensive milking schedules, grace periods often need to be very short.
Between mandatory vaccine disposal, rapid pasteurization of milk, shelf degradation and cooking of food products, no vaccine residue could be left for human consumption. Even if you consume residual mRNA molecules, your digestive tract will.degrade them quickly.
Various mRNA vaccines for use in animalsThey are in early stages development. Merck's Sequitivity, licensed by the USDA, does not use modified nucleotides or lipid nanoparticles that allow these vaccine components to circulate in the body for slightly longer periods, so long-term durability is unlikely.
As with humans, there are vaccines for animals.tested for safety and effectivenessin clinical trials. approval ofUSDA Center for Vaccine Biologyrequires a moderate level of protection against infection or disease symptoms. As with all animal vaccines, future mRNA vaccines will also need to be completely eliminated from the animal's body before they can be used in animals for human consumption.
mRNA vaccines for more cattle
It has yet to be determined whether mRNA vaccines will replace other types of livestock vaccines. Othe cost of producing these vaccines, Your necessitystored very cold and warm before useto prevent degradation, and the effectiveness of different types of mRNA vaccines still needs to be addressed before they can be used on a large scale.
Traditional pet vaccines have foodprotected them from many diseases. Limiting the use of mRNA vaccines at this point would mean missing out on a new way to protect animals from pesky pathogens that current vaccines fail to prevent.
This article was republished fromConversationunder a Creative Commons license. to readoriginal article.
To quote: mRNA-based vaccines can protect farm animals from diseases that traditional vaccines cannot (2023, May 17) retrieved May 25, 2023 from https://phys.org/news/2023-05-vaccines-mrna -farm-animals-diseases .html
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FAQs
Why are mRNA vaccines more effective than traditional vaccines? ›
The advantage of mRNA technology compared with conventional approaches is that it allows for faster development and scale-up of production. Vaccine development has traditionally been measured on the timeframe of a decade. It's an amazing scientific accomplishment to be where we are right now.
How do mRNA vaccines prevent disease? ›Instead, mRNA vaccines use mRNA created in a laboratory to teach our cells how to make a protein—or even just a piece of a protein—that triggers an immune response inside our bodies. This immune response, which produces antibodies, is what helps protect us from getting sick from that germ in the future.
What else has mRNA vaccine been used for? ›mRNA Vaccines for Cancer
While the mRNA vaccines for COVID-19 and other infectious diseases prevent disease, mRNA technology can also help treat existing diseases like cancer.
traditional vaccines. mRNA vaccines tell the body how to make a protein that produces immunity against specific microbes. In contrast, traditional vaccines use weakened or dead microbes, or pieces of them, to stimulate immunity.
What are some disadvantages of mRNA vaccines? ›| Symptoms | Frequency |
|---|---|
| Heat and cold intolerance | 8.56 |
| Increased thirst | 3.24 |
| Increased appetite | 1.62 |
| Increased urine | 1.62 |
Some studies directly comparing the relative effectiveness of these two mRNA vaccines have shown a slightly higher and/or more durable protective effect of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine compared with the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine (Collier, November 2021; Tenforde, November 2021; Bajema, December 2021; Dickerman, ...
Where is mRNA found? ›mRNA is synthesized in the nucleus using the nucleotide sequence of DNA as a template. This process requires nucleotide triphosphates as substrates and is catalyzed by the enzyme RNA polymerase II. The process of making mRNA from DNA is called transcription, and it occurs in the nucleus.
What do you mean by mRNA? ›A type of RNA found in cells. mRNA molecules carry the genetic information needed to make proteins. They carry the information from the DNA in the nucleus of the cell to the cytoplasm where the proteins are made. Also called messenger RNA.
What is mRNA made of? ›Definition. Messenger RNA (abbreviated mRNA) is a type of single-stranded RNA involved in protein synthesis. mRNA is made from a DNA template during the process of transcription.
What vaccines have mRNA besides COVID? ›- Sanofi/Translate Bio: These two companies are researching an mRNA flu vaccine that targets one strain of the flu virus. ...
- Pfizer: Pfizer is researching a single-dose mRNA flu vaccine that targets four strains of the flu virus.
What's the difference between an mRNA vaccine and a DNA vaccine? ›
DNA and RNA vaccines both instruct cells in your body to produce a protein that induces an immune response. Unlike RNA vaccines, DNA vaccines require an electrical impulse to push the genetic message into the cell. And while mRNA vaccines cannot affect your genes, this is a potential risk with DNA vaccines.
Do all COVID vaccines have mRNA? ›Both the Pfizer-BioNTech and the Moderna COVID-19 vaccines use mRNA .
What is the difference of mRNA and DNA? ›...
Difference between DNA and mRNA.
| DNA | mRNA |
|---|---|
| DNA is deoxyribonucleic acid. | mRNA is a subtype of ribonucleic acid (RNA). |
| DNA is a double-stranded structure. | RNA is a single-stranded structure. |
| The structure has deoxyribose sugars. | The structure has ribose sugars. |
As highlighted earlier, damage to mRNA, depending on its type, is highly detrimental to its decoding capacity, and unless dealt with, it could lead to the production of toxic protein products. Even more detrimental is the ability of damaged mRNA to drastically affect ribosome homeostasis through stalling.
Does mRNA vaccine increase inflammation? ›Answer: Rare cases of inflammation of the heart (myocarditis and pericarditis) have been reported after getting the COVID-19 mRNA vaccines.
Does the mRNA vaccine cause inflammation in the body? ›A recent report showed that LNPs used in preclinical nucleoside-modified mRNA vaccine studies are (independently of the delivery route) highly inflammatory in mice, as evidenced by excessive neutrophil infiltration, activation of diverse inflammatory pathways, and production of various inflammatory cytokines and ...
Which is better mRNA or protein vaccines? ›Specifically, mRNA vaccine can induce higher cellular immune responses than recombinant protein vaccine.
Is mRNA safer than inactivated vaccine? ›Previous studies have found that two doses of inactivated whole-virus vaccines elicited lower antibody titers and conferred less protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection than two doses of mRNA vaccines.
What is the efficacy of mRNA vaccine against death? ›By 30 days of a positive SARS-CoV-2 test, the vaccine effectiveness for all-cause death was 79% (95% CI 74–84) in the robust group, 79% (75–83) in the pre-frail group, and 68% (63–71) in the frail group.
Why is destroying mRNA important? ›Controlled decay (destruction) of messenger RNA (mRNA) is crucial for proper gene expression. In human cells, some transcripts can have a half-life shorter than 30 minutes whereas others can be stable for more than 20 hours. Thus, mRNA decay helps set steady-state mRNA levels and enables dynamic gene regulation.
Where does mRNA travel to? ›
The mRNA molecules are transported through the nuclear envelope into the cytoplasm, where they are translated by the rRNA of ribosomes (see translation).
Where does mRNA go after it leaves the nucleus? ›After mRNA leaves the nucleus, it moves to a ribosome, which consists of rRNA and proteins. Translation happens on the ribosomes floating in the cytosol, or on the ribosomes attached to the rough endoplasmic reticulum.
Do we have mRNA in our body? ›It's all about proteins
An mRNA can teach the body how to make a specific protein that can help your immune system prevent or treat certain diseases.
During transcription, the DNA of a gene serves as a template for complementary base-pairing, and an enzyme called RNA polymerase II catalyzes the formation of a pre-mRNA molecule, which is then processed to form mature mRNA (Figure 1).
Is RNA and mRNA the same thing? ›There are several different types of RNA. One type of RNA is known as mRNA, which stands for “messenger RNA.” mRNA is RNA that is read by ribosomes to build proteins. While all types of RNA are involved in building proteins, mRNA is the one that actually acts as the messenger.
How do you get DNA from mRNA? ›The enzyme that converts DNA into mRNA is called RNA polymerase, which attaches to the DNA double helix as shown here. Once attached, RNA polymerase can unwind the helix and begin copying one of the DNA strands to form an mRNA transcript of the gene.
What is the life cycle of the mRNA? ›The multi-stage “life-cycle” of mRNA—from transcription to translation and degradation—is regulated by a diverse array of RNA binding proteins (RBPs) that influence every aspect of proper and essential gene expression. Gene expression begins with transcription, the process of creating an mRNA copy of a DNA template.
How many types of mRNA are there? ›In both prokaryotes and eukaryotes, there are three main types of RNA – messenger RNA (mRNA), ribosomal RNA (rRNA), and transfer RNA (tRNA).
What medicines use mRNA? ›MRA drugs are one of the most commonly prescribed medications for heart failure. Examples of MRA drugs include spironolactone, eplerenone, and finerenone.
What drugs use mRNA technology? ›The Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine was the first mRNA vaccine approved by a medicines regulator, followed by the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, and others. The main types of RNA therapeutics are those based on messenger RNA (mRNA), antisense RNA (asRNA), RNA interference (RNAi), and RNA aptamers.
What type of vaccine is the flu shot? ›
All flu vaccines for the 2022-2023 season are quadrivalent vaccines, designed to protect against four different flu viruses, including two influenza A viruses and two influenza B viruses. Different vaccines are licensed for use in different age groups, and some vaccines are not recommended for some groups of people.
Why is the mRNA vaccine good? ›Advantages of Using mRNA Vaccines
However, mRNA vaccines can be quickly designed, tested, and mass produced. mRNA vaccines are also safer because they do not contain live viruses.
Messenger RNA (mRNA) has several advantages over DNA for gene transfer and expression, including the lack of any requirement for nuclear localization or transcription and the nearly negligible possibility of genomic integration of the delivered sequence.
Is the COVID vaccine the first mRNA vaccine? ›Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine is the first mRNA product to achieve full FDA approval in the U.S. What's next?
Is mRNA an exact copy of DNA? ›Although the mRNA contains the same information, it is not an identical copy of the DNA segment, because its sequence is complementary to the DNA template. Transcription is carried out by an enzyme called RNA polymerase and a number of accessory proteins called transcription factors.
Where is mRNA made in the cell? ›In eukaryotic cells, however, the two processes are separated in both space and time: mRNAs are synthesized in the nucleus, and proteins are later made in the cytoplasm.
How is translation of mRNA terminated? ›Termination of translation. A termination codon (e.g., UAA) at the A site is recognized by a release factor rather than by a tRNA. The result is the release of the completed polypeptide chain, followed by the dissociation of tRNA and mRNA from the ribosome.
What is the importance of mRNA? ›The role of mRNA is to carry protein information from the DNA in a cell's nucleus to the cell's cytoplasm (watery interior), where the protein-making machinery reads the mRNA sequence and translates each three-base codon into its corresponding amino acid in a growing protein chain.
What is the advantage of mRNA vaccine over protein vaccine? ›An important advantage of mRNA vaccine technology compared to the production of vaccines based on inactivated virus or recombinant protein is the ability to quickly pass all stages of its development.
What is the difference between RNA and mRNA? ›One type of RNA is known as mRNA, which stands for “messenger RNA.” mRNA is RNA that is read by ribosomes to build proteins. While all types of RNA are involved in building proteins, mRNA is the one that actually acts as the messenger. It is mRNA specifically that has the recipe for a protein.
Where does mRNA go? ›
The mRNA molecules are transported through the nuclear envelope into the cytoplasm, where they are translated by the rRNA of ribosomes (see translation).