Strawberry-Banana-Anthrax-Vaccine (gasp) Protein-Yogurt Shake, Anyone?

"Probiotics" in yogurt earn their stripes through a major advance in oral drug delivery research

By Taylor Hengen Posted 02.25.2009 at 3:38 pm 2 Comments

Anti-Anthrax Shake iStockPhoto

Researchers at North Carolina State University have found a surprising potential weapon against the conjectural "biological terrorism" of the imminent future. Sorry, what's that? We have self-inflicted domestic dangers on our hands that are more real and pressing than... terrorism? How things change. In any case, if suspicious white powders do happen to show up in your mailbox, you'll be prepared to defend yourself against them. It'll be as simple as crushing a pill and stirring it up in yogurt. Just like Mom used to make. Or something like that.

Yogurt's "good" lactic acid bacteria, Lactobacillus acidophilus, popularly known for their digestive and immune-boosting credentials, are also a highly effective conduit for delivering vaccines directly into the small intestine. Most vaccines are proteins, and, when delivered orally, are broken down by the stomach before they can reach that crucial destination. The NCSU study, which focused on an anthrax vaccine, showed that when the vaccine was able to reach the small intestine intact, it immediately targeted the cells that jump-start the appropriate immune response to protect against anthrax's adverse affects. Yogurt's bacteria, also referred to as "probiotics," can get the vaccine to the small intestine, bypassing the stomach's digestive impact. This vaccine-delivery method will likely work for other vaccines to protect against a variety of viruses and pathogens, and the study's authors are now exploring this.

It is this implication that makes the results of this study as relevant and revolutionary now as they would have been even had we not (thankfully, finally, hopefully) moved past the post-9/11 frenzy and fear of anthrax attacks (among other things). The broad scope of the potential uses for oral administration of vaccines that were previously only administrable by injection could be of benefit both within and without our national borders; if this method for oral drug-delivery is consistently effective, distribution could likely be expanded, and accessibility streamlined, for any number of vaccines against the widespread viruses and pathogens that threaten the health and well-being of nations around the world today.

Via: ScienceDaily.com

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2 Comments

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GotchaLookin

from LOMPOC, CA

02/26/09 at 10:44 am

Is this Dr. Ivins' Revenge? 24-hour exposure in the human gut to the Anthrax "Protective" Antigen fails to consider that the "APA" is protective of anthrax - not humans. The potential for the human immune system to accidentally create antibodies (IgG) capable of sequestering furin proteins increases with the amount of time of exposure to "APA". Lack of serum furin can prevent activation of transforming growth factor beta-1, von Willebrand's factor, gonadotropin, para-thyroid hormone, and nerve growth hormone. The Gulf War Syndrome GWS is a multi-symptom auto-immune disorder caused by lack of furin. Dr. Ivins work on teaching e.Coli to make ultra-pure recombinant Protective Antigen is a serious threat to the $14 billion dollar a year yogurt industry. e.Coli that makes "APA" in the wild would be a disaster to the world ecology. USAMRIID and NCSU better review their liability insurance policies. See Scott Miller's "A CALL TO ARMS" the documentary with first person interviews of victims of the illegal military anthrax vaccine program. In their own words, the anthrax vaccine "... bodes evil for civilians."

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taylorhengen

from New York, New York

02/26/09 at 11:49 am

That's pretty dense-- and potentially very useful information-- but I think you've misunderstood something fundamental here. No one's suggested that all yogurt be automatically equipped with an anthrax (or any other) vaccine, and unleashed upon the unsuspecting American yogurt-consuming public. Instead, the fact that the probiotics in yogurt have been shown to effectively do exactly what an injected vaccine can, by oral administration, which is to get the vaccine to the cells that count, is an advance that may help to vaccinate people in a responsible, targeted way... with vaccines that are, one can assume, proven safe. In this particular study, the method itself was shown effective using an anthrax vaccine. As it says above, the researchers are now experimenting with other vaccines. It's the method, though, that's of import here.

Thanks for your comment!

Taylor Hengen
PopSci.com