Mayo Clinic, Different types of COVID-19 vaccines: How they work, Nov. Nature Public Health Emergency Collection, Subcellular Localization of SARS-CoV Structural Proteins, 2006 Journal of Biological Chemistry, The SARS-CoV-2 envelope and membrane proteins modulate maturation and retention of the spike protein, allowing assembly of virus-like particles, Sep. Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy, A systemic and molecular study of subcellular localization of SARS-CoV-2 proteins, Nov. Mobeen Syed, Spike Protein Goes to Nucleus and Impairs DNA Repair (In-Vitro Study), Nov. Viruses, SARS–CoV–2 Spike Impairs DNA Damage Repair and Inhibits V(D)J Recombination In Vitro, Oct. Without replication in a study conducted on live animals or people, this study has limited clinical relevance to the COVID-19 vaccines. 'Many studies have been done in vitro that don't translate to animal model systems.' 'Though they may have evidence that it happened in a cell line in an in vitro system, that doesn't mean that's the way it would act or behave in animals or people,' said Hudson. Unlike the narrower parameters of an in vitro study, there are multiple cell types, immune responses and DNA repair mechanisms at play in people. In vitro studies do not necessarily translate directly to what would happen in the much more complex biological environment of the body. The Swedish researchers conducted an in vitro study, meaning it was conducted in a test tube or petri dish in a controlled lab environment. One question, for example, is how the genetic material introduced into the kidney cells directed spike protein production: Was it the presence of the spike protein itself, or was it an overabundance of protein that led to their findings?Īnother question is replication: Can these findings be reproduced in other cell types or viruses that also use spike proteins? Does the age of the cells matter? 'A lot of experimental details are still needed before you can make a definitive conclusion,' Hudson said. Gosnell School of Life Sciences of the Rochester Institute of Technology. 'There are a lot of caveats before we can say there is a direct correlation between the vaccines and DNA repair,' said Andre Hudson, head of the Thomas H. (Read more about our partnership with Facebook.)

And the study’s findings should not be directly translated to the COVID-19 vaccines, which use modified versions of the spike protein.Ī blog post about the claim was flagged as part of Facebook’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed.

The lab-based context in which the study was conducted, however, limits its relevance to real life conditions outside the lab. Without more context, the title of a YouTube video - 'Spike protein goes to nucleus and impairs DNA repair' - may sound alarming. 13 paper claiming that the spike protein can cause DNA damage has circulated on social media, causing uncertainty about whether these findings are relevant to the COVID-19 vaccines. We have previously fact-checked claims on the purported toxicity of the spike protein relating to COVID-19 vaccines.Īn Oct. The distinctive spike protein that covers the surface of the COVID-19 virus has inspired numerous misinformed claims about the vaccines that aim to prevent its spread.

Spike protein dna damage