A recent study suggests using nano-engineered cell decoys to attract coronavirus and isolate them from the victim’s lungs.
The coronavirus mainly targets its victim’s lungs. Researchers suggest injecting victims with cell decoys that will lure the virus out of the lungs. By doing so, they believe that the victim will have a higher chance of survival.
New therapeutic measures
This new strategy of countering the coronavirus was first suggested by researches from the National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories (NEIDL). The researchers are based at Boston University, and their study was published in the Nano Letters scientific journal.
The researchers believe that their discovery presents a major breakthrough in the fight against coronavirus. The virus has already claimed more than 450,000 lives. Moreover, the virus caused the entire global economy to a screeching halt.
In a statement, NEIDL microbiologist Anna Honko said:
“I was skeptical at the beginning because it seemed too good to be true. But when I saw the first set of results in the lab, I was just astonished.”
The researchers are using nanotechnology. This consists of very small plastic polymers that are covered in the human cell and immune cell membranes.
Based on medical research, the coronavirus has a specific attack vector. The virus attacks cells that are uniquely specific to the lung. The researchers are trying to create a close clone of these lung cells.
The clones will then act as decoys for the coronavirus to attack. In that way, instead of attacking the actual human lung cells, the virus will just attack the decoy.
Vaccines and viruses
The researchers are more inclined to use these nano-engineered cell decoys in fighting the virus. They argue that while vaccines are effective, most viruses mutate over time, which renders vaccines ineffective.
Researchers working on decoy molecule to fool COVID-19
Researchers are working to create a decoy molecule that can trick coronavirus by attracting it before it can attach to lung cells, thus lowering the infection risk of COVID-19. #covid19 #coronavirushttps://t.co/SABsQCxOrW
— Neuroscience News (@NeuroscienceNew) April 9, 2020
On the other hand, these cell decoys are disrupting the attack vector of a particular virus. Regardless of the mutation, as long as the virus attacks the lung cells, they will be attracted to the decoy. This theory is what makes the decoys appear more effective than traditional vaccines.
The cell decoy therapeutic measure is still in its early stage. Researchers admit that they only have a small sample data to prove the efficacy of their proposal. Nevertheless, early test results appear to be widely positive and appealing.
There is still no vaccine available against the coronavirus. Medical experts estimate that it will take at least a year to develop one. This is why the researchers of the new cell decoy theory are fast-tracking their study.
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