DNA and RNA

[Tero]

googling one phrase gave the usual bone marrow transplant

An allogeneic stem cell transplant uses healthy blood stem cells from a donor to replace bone marrow that's not producing enough healthy blood cells. An allogeneic stem cell transplant is also called an allogeneic bone marrow transplant.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-proced ... transplant.

[Tero]

RNA is not terribly stable to floating around outside cells. pfizer modified the "uridine2 part of the RNA to an unnatural molecule that has a N in the ring. I asked Google AI why:
The Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA vaccine utilizes a modified version of pseudouridine, specifically N1-methylpseudouridine, in its mRNA sequence to enhance the vaccine's effectiveness and minimize potential drawbacks associated with introducing foreign genetic material into the body.
Here's why this modification is crucial:
1. Evading the innate immune response
Unmodified mRNA, when introduced into the body, can trigger the innate immune system, which perceives it as a foreign threat (like a virus).
This innate immune activation can lead to a reduction in protein production from the mRNA and a weakened immune response to the target antigen.
N1-methylpseudouridine helps to overcome this challenge by making the mRNA appear more "self" or "human-like" to the immune system, thus reducing the innate immune response and allowing the mRNA to effectively deliver its genetic instructions.
2. Increased mRNA stability and translation
RNA molecules are naturally prone to degradation by enzymes called nucleases.
N1-methylpseudouridine enhances the stability of the mRNA molecule, making it more resistant to degradation and allowing it to persist longer within the cells.
This increased stability enables the cells to produce more of the target protein (in this case, the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein), leading to a stronger and more robust immune response.
3. Improved protein production efficiency
The presence of N1-methylpseudouridine can lead to more efficient translation of the mRNA into protein.
Studies have shown that mRNA containing this modification can lead to a significant increase in the amount of target protein produced, compared to unmodified mRNA.
This translates to a higher concentration of the spike protein being presented to the immune system, further bolstering the vaccine's ability to generate protective antibodies and T-cell responses.
In summary, the incorporation of N1-methylpseudouridine into the Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA vaccine is a critical modification that helps overcome the challenges associated with delivering exogenous mRNA, ultimately leading to a more effective and stable vaccine that elicits a strong and protective immune response against SARS-CoV-2.