Why COVID 19 mRNA vaccines cannot alter human DNA
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Vaccinologists developed mRNA vaccines to instruct a cell to make proteins that stimulate the immune system against SARS-CoV-2. Some people fear these vaccines are a type of gene therapy that can incorporate into human DNA and alter genes. The human cell is an intricately controlled system. The nucleus, where DNA resides, selects what enters using nuclear localization sequences. mRNA vaccines, consisting of mRNA encapsulated in lipid droplets, don't contain these sequences. Even if mRNA could enter the nucleus, two other enzymes are missing to transform RNA into DNA and insert it into the human genome. Thus, the series of steps that would result in mRNA incorporating into nuclear DNA is biologically implausible. In this clip, Dr. Roger Seheult and Dr. Rhonda Patrick describe why mRNA vaccines do not alter human genetics.
Kyle: For a lot of people new technology, technology they haven't heard about, and there are rumors that this is somehow gene therapy, and it's going to be impacting our own DNA within ourselves, can you speak to that, and what are your thoughts about those rumors?
Dr. Patrick: Well, sure. I think it's understandable for most people to be a little concerned because they've never heard of this mRNA technology. The word RNA is in it. It's just overwhelming in a sense. And, I think, as I mentioned earlier when I was talking about...you know, from a thousand foot high...mile high, you know, viewpoint, how these mRNA vaccines work, and how there's, you know, a sequence of the messenger RNA inside of a lipid nanoparticle and along with some other factors that essentially when that lipid nanoparticle with the mRNA gets inside of your cells, your cells themselves, our ribosomes translate that mRNA into actual protein. And so really, it's more accurate to be a protein making technology in a way. But nonetheless, there's been a lot of fear that mRNA vaccines are gene therapy that are altering our DNA. And so to understand that, you need to understand...I mean, I think first and foremost, if someone says that to you, you might want to ask them, "Where inside the cell does DNA reside?" And if they don't know the answer to that question, then they probably don't understand what they're saying. So our DNA resides in a part of our cell called the nucleus. It's inside of a nucleus. Things don't just freely pass into the nucleus of the cell. In order to get inside of the nucleus of the cell, you have to have what's called a nuclear localization sequence. This is a very specific sequence that allows something to get inside of the nucleus. And so there's no nuclear localization sequence anywhere in this mRNA, anywhere, you know, inside of the lipid nanoparticle. It's not present. It's not there. There's no way for it to get inside of the nucleus of the cell. If somehow it did somehow miraculously get inside of the nucleus of our cell where our DNA resides, in order for it to alter our DNA, the mRNA would first have to become DNA. And in order for that to happen, you would need an enzyme called reverse transcriptase. There's no reverse transcriptase inside of our nucleus, inside of the, you know, lipid nanoparticle with our mRNA. It's not present. So, that is not likely to happen. But if all those things were to happen somehow, then in order for the DNA...so if you somehow got inside the nucleus, turn the mRNA into DNA, and then in order for it to alter our DNA, you'd have to have something called an integrase enzyme, it would have to integrate into our DNA to get in there to change it. And again, no integrase enzyme present there. It's not going to happen.
So, the chances of the mRNA vaccines actually changing our DNA are so small. I mean, it would just take some sort of grand conspiracy where, you know, we're somehow getting these enzymes into this mRNA, and it's doing all this stuff. I mean, like it's just not going to happen. It's not biologically plausible.
Kyle: Dr. Seheult, anything to add to that?
Dr. Seheult: Yeah. I mean, the central dogma of molecular biology is that DNA goes to RNA, RNA goes to protein. And what we're doing with the vaccine is we're simply instructing the ribosomes, which reside in the outer portion of the cell, to make the protein. This, by the way, is exactly what the virus does. And so if you're a little bit freaked out or creeped out by the fact that your cell machinery is being taken over to make something that it shouldn't be making, well, let me introduce you to COVID-19 because that's exactly what's happening in the viral infection. And instead of it happening just in one or two cells, it's happening in millions of cells. In fact, there's billions to trillions of copies of the virus that's being made in one individual, and it goes all throughout the body. So, what's happening here with the vaccine is that it's simply using the ribosomes to make proteins. There's no aspect of the messenger RNA vaccines that do anything with the nucleus. And it's the nucleus that holds the DNA, and that's where your genome is. So, that's basically it in a nutshell.
Dr. Patrick: Well, just to add to that, Dr. Seheult, you know, speaking of viruses and what viruses do, we know some viruses actually can change back into DNA and affect our DNA. So, HIV is one, some of the herpes viruses as well. If there's anything to be worried about changing our DNA, it's actually viruses themselves.
An infectious disease caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. COVID-19, or coronavirus disease 2019, was first identified in Wuhan, China, in late 2019. The disease manifests primarily as a lower respiratory illness, but it can affect multiple organ systems, including the cardiovascular, neurological, gastrointestinal, and renal systems. Symptoms include fever, cough, fatigue, shortness of breath, and loss of smell and taste. Some infected persons, especially children, are asymptomatic. Severe complications of COVID-19 include pneumonia, sepsis, acute respiratory distress syndrome, kidney failure, multiple organ dysfunction syndrome, and cytokine storm. Treatments currently involve symptom management and supportive care. Mortality varies by country and region, but approximately 6 percent of people living in the United States who are diagnosed with COVID-19 expire.[1] 1
Any of a group of complex proteins or conjugated proteins that are produced by living cells and act as catalyst in specific biochemical reactions.
The collective set of genetic instructions for a single organism. The genome is stored in an organism's DNA and provides all the information required for its function and survival.
An essential mineral present in many foods. Iron participates in many physiological functions and is a critical component of hemoglobin. Iron deficiency can cause anemia, fatigue, shortness of breath, and heart arrhythmias.
A form of RNA, transcribed from a single strand of DNA, that carries genetic information required for protein synthesis from DNA to the ribosomes.
A type of vaccine that contains the genetic material to encode a single viral protein that, when injected into the body, induces antibody production against the target protein. Because mRNA degrades easily, it must be encapsulated in lipid nanoparticles in order to be absorbed by cells and often must be delivered in multiple injections to promote optimal immune response.
An enzyme that facilitates the generation of complementary DNA. In viruses, reverse transcriptases convert viral RNA into a complementary DNA, which can then be integrated into the host’s genome. In humans, the reverse transcriptase telomerase maintains and extends the length of telomeres.
The highest level of intake of a given nutrient likely to pose no adverse health effects for nearly all healthy people. As intake increases above the upper intake level, the risk of adverse effects increases.
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