Several people have expressed concern over the Pfizer/Moderna vaccines because of their mRNA composition and the alleged possibility that this mRNA could integrate into our DNA and remain in our DNA forever (kind of like HIV does). Short threat about why this can't happen. (1/n)
I attach a graphic that illustrates the central genetic dogma. Generally, our human DNA is transcribed into RNA (red arrow), which is then translated into protein (green arrow). (2/n)
HIV is an RNA virus that goes against this dogma and is “reverse transcribed” into DNA in the cytoplasm of our cells after it enters our cells, using an enzyme called “reverse transcriptase” (straight yellow arrow). (3/n)
That reverse transcribed DNA then enters our nucleus where it is integrated into our DNA using an enzyme called “integrase.” Both reverse transcriptase and integrase are enzymes that are encoded by HIV. (4/n)
As I have posted before, the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines consist of an mRNA molecule. That is a “messenger” RNA that is immediately translated into a protein – the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, which is then recognized by our immune system as foreign. (5/n)
Our immune system then produces antibodies against this protein. The SARS-CoV-2 mRNA and the protein that are produced from this mRNA both only stick around in the cell for a short period of time – the mRNA sticks around long enough so that it becomes translated... (6/n)
...and the protein sticks around long enough so that it can induce production of antibodies; then after a while they degrade. Unlike as with HIV, there is no reverse transcriptase to make DNA from the vaccine mRNA. (7/n)
Since there is no resulting DNA, it does not go to the nucleus, and even if this did happen, there is no integrase enzyme to integrate the DNA into our genome. (8/9)
Long story short, any concerns about the vaccine “changing our DNA” or becoming a permanent part of our genome are unfounded. (end)

• • •

Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to force a refresh
 

Keep Current with Gertrud Rey PhD (Trudy)

Gertrud Rey PhD (Trudy) Profile picture

Stay in touch and get notified when new unrolls are available from this author!

Read all threads

This Thread may be Removed Anytime!

PDF

Twitter may remove this content at anytime! Save it as PDF for later use!

Try unrolling a thread yourself!

how to unroll video
  1. Follow @ThreadReaderApp to mention us!

  2. From a Twitter thread mention us with a keyword "unroll"
@threadreaderapp unroll

Practice here first or read more on our help page!

More from @GertrudRey

23 Nov
Most people think of clinical trials as consisting of Phases I-III, but did you know that there is also a Phase IV trial? Short thread. (1/4)
Phase IV of a clinical trial is also known as a postmarketing surveillance trial and involves the continued surveillance of a drug or vaccine's safety. (2/4)
This trial continues indefinitely and it is the reason why I am such a strong advocate for vaccines. The safety and efficacy of vaccines is one of the most highly scrutinized premises in biomedical science. (3/4)
Read 4 tweets
11 Nov
There is a very good chance that whatever SARS-CoV-2 vaccine (or vaccines) we end up with will only prevent disease, but not infection. What does this mean? Short thread. (1/n)
Antibodies induced by vaccines or viruses can be neutralizing or non-neutralizing. Neutralizing antibodies don’t just bind viral antigens, but inactivate the virus and prevent infection of new cells. (2/n)
This means that the virus cannot replicate, leave the cell (or individual), and infect a new person. (3/n)
Read 7 tweets
7 Aug
If you have never read one of my articles before, I am begging you to read this one. It describes a strategy for how to end the pandemic and how YOU can help! A thread, also at virology blog. (1/n) virology.ws/2020/08/06/how…
As of today, SARS-CoV-2 has infected 18.7 million people and caused 700,000 deaths worldwide. (2/n)
The most realistic way to quickly curb the spread of the virus would require daily identification and isolation of individuals who are contagious, a process that is hampered by cumbersome sampling and testing methods with slow turnaround times. (3/n)
Read 30 tweets
30 Jul
Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) Does not Work for Treating COVID-19. THE END.

***Warning! This post may be an emotional trigger for some! I’m just presenting the facts.***

Long thread. (1/n)
Sometime at the beginning of this never-ending year the president announced that HCQ was a “game-changer” for treating COVID-19. While I would be hesitant to embrace any drug as a game-changer without any real evidence, at that time, I did read a couple of studies... (2/n)
...done in Marseille, France, and felt cautiously optimistic about HCQ. When those studies came out, I posted about both of them and will summarize them briefly here. The first study showed that the drug can reduce viral load in a small number of COVID-19 patients. (3/n)
Read 27 tweets
4 Jun
Does a first infection with SARS-CoV-2 make a person immune to a second infection? This question is one of the prevailing issues in the current pandemic. A thread (also at virology blog). (1/n)
The relevant immune response is adaptive immunity, which initiates during a first exposure to a pathogen and protects from re-infection and disease upon a second exposure to the same pathogen. (2/n)
During that first exposure, T helper cells sense the presence of one or more proteins (i.e., antigens) on the surface of the invading pathogen and release a variety of signals that ultimately stimulate B cells to secrete antibodies to those antigens. (3/n)
Read 29 tweets
21 Apr
Remember the polio vaccine that was administered on a sugar cube? As it turns out, that vaccine may prevent against infection with SARS-CoV-2. The vaccine in question is the oral polio vaccine (OPV), a live-attenuated virus vaccine. A thread. (1/n)
microbe.tv/twiv/twiv-604/
It is a known fact that there are viruses that are persistently present in the population and that you can always isolate such viruses from healthy children. These viruses replicate “under the radar” and don’t cause disease. (2/n)
A couple of examples include several adenoviruses, rhinoviruses, etc. Back in the polio days when they were conducting clinical trials for OPV, they found that these other viruses were completely wiped out in children who had received OPV. (3/n)
Read 8 tweets

Did Thread Reader help you today?

Support us! We are indie developers!


This site is made by just two indie developers on a laptop doing marketing, support and development! Read more about the story.

Become a Premium Member ($3/month or $30/year) and get exclusive features!

Become Premium

Too expensive? Make a small donation by buying us coffee ($5) or help with server cost ($10)

Donate via Paypal Become our Patreon

Thank you for your support!

Follow Us on Twitter!