Researchers discovered the second 'key' used by the SARS-CoV-2 virus to enter into human cells

University of Helsinki ^ | 2020 October 20 | Ludovico Cantuti-Castelvetri et al

[CutePuppy]

To efficiently infect human cells, SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, is able to use a receptor called Neuropilin-1, which is very abundant in many human tissues including the respiratory tract, blood vessels and neurons. The breakthrough discovery was made by a German-Finnish team of researchers led by neuroscientists Mika Simons, Technical University of Munich, Germany and virologist Giuseppe Balistreri, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Finland.

Why is the new coronavirus so infectious?

"That SARS-CoV-2 uses the receptor ACE2 to infect our cells was known, but viruses often use multiple factors to maximize their infectious potential" says Dr. Giuseppe Balistreri, head of the research group at the Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki involved in the study.

"Unlike the main receptor ACE2, which is present in low levels, Neuropilin-1 is very abundant in the cells of the nasal cavity. This is a strategically important localization possibly contributing to the efficient infectivity of this new coronavirus, which has caused a major pandemic, spreading rapidly around the world."

..... "The starting point of our study was the question why SARS-CoV, a coronavirus that led to a much smaller outbreak in 2003, and SARS-CoV-2, spread in such a different way even if they use the same main receptor ACE2"

..... By specifically blocking neuropilin-1 with antibodies, the researchers were able to significantly reduce infection in laboratory cell cultures. "If you think of ACE2 as a door lock to enter the cell, then neuropilin-1 could be a factor that directs the virus to the door. ACE2 is expressed at very low levels in most cells. Thus, it is not easy for the virus to find doors to enter. Other factors such as neuropilin-1 might help the virus finding its door", says Balistreri.

[CutePuppy]

Looks like interesting discovery, even if currently difficult to exploit to introduce immunity.

[CutePuppy]

Balistreri cautiously concludes "it is currently too early to speculate whether blocking directly neuropilin could be a viable therapeutic approach, as this could lead to side effects. This will have to be looked at in future studies. Currently our laboratory is testing the effect of new molecules that we have specifically designed to interrupt the connection between the virus and neuropilin. Preliminary results are very promising and we hope to obtain validations in vivo in the near future."

Entirely different path. If they can modify molecules to avoid side effects, this could be the most promising treatment to date.

[steve86]

The localized pain suppression that SARS-CoV-2 pulls off via neuropilin is intriguing and is part of the reason for the prevalence of asymptomatic cases. The mechanism could possibly be utilized by future pain drugs (analgesics)..

[Karliner]

So they find a vaccine in a few months. Meanwhile, hmmm, the new flu season and new strain is out and about. Never ending flu shot for last years strains.

[MHGinTN]

Watch for an induced panic starting Nov1, from the media tools, to suppress voter turnout and give the demon rat fraudulent ballots a foothold. Evil is awake and sauntering around America.

[Hetuck]

Does the presence of this mechanism provide any evidence that COVID-19 was obtained through gain-of-function manipulation? Or is it also present in other bat coronaviruses? Just wondering out loud....

[steve86]

Too early to say, I think

[Jane Long]

Great question.

We were only provided with part of the code, by the ChiComs, IIRC.

So we couldn’t tell if it was a man-made bioweapon.

[NonValueAdded]

Quite the little bug the Wuhan folks have crafted.

[babygene]

If this is correct, then simply breathing through your mouth and not your nose might be in order.

I have nose plugs that I made made of food grade silicone putty that I wear at night to prevent me from snoring and keeping my sweetheart awake. Their quite comfortable and very effective in keeping me from snoring.

Maybe I should wear them when I go out...

[CutePuppy]

Does the presence of this mechanism provide any evidence that COVID-19 was obtained through gain-of-function manipulation? Or is it also present in other bat coronaviruses?

Present in many other viral proteins, so most likely organic.

FTA:

Balistreri reveals that "when the sequence of the SARS-CoV-2 genome became available, at the end of January, something surprised us. Compared to its older relative, the new coronavirus had acquired an 'extra piece' on its surface proteins, which is also found in the spikes of many devastating human viruses, including Ebola, HIV, and highly pathogenic strains of avian influenza, among others.

[krogers58]

Does the presence of this mechanism provide any evidence that COVID-19 was obtained through gain-of-function manipulation? Or is it also present in other bat coronaviruses? Just wondering out loud....

Since we're idly speculating.....I'm going to guess that the Chinese have dozens of different strains that they've deliberately allowed to mutate, creating increasingly more problematic versions of Covid. As treatments and vaccines are developed, we'll be told the virus has mutated and it's still not safe to wander around in public. Just a guess as to where this is heading.

Seat belts were only the beginning, soon it will be helmets too. Then, how long will it be until driving private cars will be banned? We'll be told that so many people are killed and injured in car accidents, that driving is unacceptably dangerous. We might as well wrap ourselves in bubble wrap whenever we leave our homes....for everyone's safety.

How would our ancestors look at this complete abhorence of risk, and where does our aversion to risk lead in the long run? Nothing like the pioneering American spirit these days....

[CutePuppy]

If this is correct, then simply breathing through your mouth and not your nose might be in order.

I am afraid, that's not practical. There is a reason why we can inhale and exhale with either nose and mouth.

FTA:

SARS-CoV-2 infects also the upper respiratory system including the nasal mucosa and consequently spreads rapidly. "This virus is able to leave our body even when we simply breath or talk", Balistreri adds.

[babygene]

“I am afraid, that’s not practical. There is a reason why we can inhale and exhale with either nose and mouth.”

Of course we CAN, but we also can intentionally NOT breathe through our nose. As it turns out, even though you can breathe in through one and out the other. What you can’t do is breathe in or out through both with the same breath.

When your scuba diving for instance, you breath in through your mouth.

[CutePuppy]

I guess, I was not clear - what I meant was that it doesn't matter if you breathe through the nose or mouth, for CoV-2 to lodge in your upper respiratory tract mucosa, where NRP1 is abundant.

The upper respiratory tract includes the nose and nasal passages, paranasal sinuses, the pharynx, and the larynx above the vocal cords.

[Diogenesis]

darn, the CDC and Fauxi’s patents are terrific.
they are BETTER than the common cold
because they kill so well.

LET’s give the CDC and FAUXI BOTH the Nobel Prize
for making the monstrosity and
the WHO-Gates Prize for making a killing
on their GOLDEN GOOSE.

[MadMax, the Grinning Reaper]

Two comments:

“I am the keymaster” - Rick Morannis, Ghostbusters

“Key made in Red China, Wuhan Lock Shop and Meat Market Lab”

[JohnBovenmyer]

>even if currently difficult to exploit to introduce immunity.

Sounds like some secretory IgA expressed within the nasal mucusa might work. Anyone have a vaccine strategy available to produce that?

[Karliner]

I’ve a feeling they’re riot no matter what. Soros and a dozen others will spend a couple hundred million, BLM will spend their billions, antifa will take over a few cities and then, THEN over ride the mayors and governors and go to town ...quiet the next four years over night.

If the IRS can do it to the TEA party they can do the same with real scoundrels. Enough is enough.

[CutePuppy]

I assume, any number of research labs could have a plan.

The difficulty would lie in avoiding the nasty side effects, like loss of sense of smell, taste etc.