ABSTRACT
The Receptor-Binding Domain (RBD) of the Spike (S) protein from Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has glycosylation sites which can limit the production of reliable antigens expressed in prokaryotic platforms, due to glycan-mediated evasion of the host immune response. However, protein regions without glycosylated residues capable of inducing neutralizing antibodies could be useful for antigen production in systems that do not carry the glycosylation machinery. To test this hypothesis, the potential antigens NG06 and NG19, located within the non-glycosylated S-RBD region, were selected and expressed in Escherichia coli, purified by FPLC and employed to determine their immunogenic potential through detection of antibodies in serum from immunized rabbits, mice, and COVID-19 patients. IgG antibodies from sera of COVID-19-recovered patients detected the recombinant antigens NG06 and NG19 (A450 nm = 0.80 ± 0.33; 1.13 ± 0.33; and 0.11 ± 0.08 for and negatives controls, respectively). Also, the purified antigens were able to raise polyclonal antibodies in animal models evoking a strong immune response with neutralizing activity in mice model. This research highlights the usefulness of antigens based on the non-N-glycosylated region of RBD from SARS-CoV-2 for candidate vaccine development.
ABSTRACT
Este artículo tiene por objetivo analizar la ética en el cuidado y uso de los biomodelos experimentales denominados animales de laboratorio. No pretende establecer un modelo, sino describir los aspectos que cada institución que produce, mantiene y utiliza animales de experimentación, para fines académicos y/o productivos, debe tener en cuenta en vistas a un programa institucional de cuidado y uso con los más altos estándares científicos, técnicos y éticos. De igual forma, analiza la percepción de este problema en la sociedad y la preocupación acerca del uso de los animales de laboratorio en la investigación científica.
This paper has as goal to analyze the ethics of the care and use of experimental biomodels known as "laboratory animals". It does not pretend to establish a unique model, but to describe the items to be considered by institutions which produce, maintain and use laboratory animals for academic and/or productive purposes, in order to establish an institutional program for the care and use of animals with the highest scientist, technical and ethical standards. In the same way, it reviews the public perception on the topic and the ethical concerns about the use of laboratory animals in scientific research.
Este artigo tem por objetivo analisar a ética do cuidado e o uso dos biomodelos de pesquisa denominados "animais de laboratório". Longe de pretender estabelecer um modelo, visa descrever os aspectos que cada instituição.
