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Gizmodo
3 days ago
- Health
- Gizmodo
Dental Floss Could Deliver Next-Gen Vaccines, No Needles Required
Flu shot season is around the corner, and while injections remain the most common form of vaccination, scientists are working hard to find other ways to deliver inoculations that don't involve shoving a needle into your flesh. And in a new study, researchers think they might have found another novel approach: dental floss. In the new work, a team of scientists based in the U.S. demonstrated how this might work on lab mice, finding that vaccine delivery via dental floss was more effective at stimulating antibody production than if the vaccine was delivered under the mice's tongues and about as effective as a nasal spray delivery method. If the results hold true for humans, then some vaccines could be given via tooth tape and without the need for needles. 'Here we show that flat tape dental floss can deliver vaccines through the junctional epithelium of the gingival sulcus, exploiting its naturally leaky properties,' the researchers wrote in the study, which was published in July in the journal Nature Biomedical Engineering. The junctional epithelium is the technical term for the deep tissue between the tooth and the gum. Epithelial tissues are one of three layers of so-called mucosal surfaces, which are the membranes that lubricate and protect your body's organs and cavities, including your nose, mouth, and intestines. Many pathogens like influenza and Covid-19 can enter the body through these mucosal surfaces. 'If a vaccine is given by injection, antibodies are primarily produced in the bloodstream throughout the body, and relatively few antibodies are produced on mucosal surfaces,' Harvinder Singh Gill, co-author of the study and a professor in Nanomedicine at North Carolina State University, explained in a statement. 'But we know that when a vaccine is given via the mucosal surface, antibodies are stimulated not only in the bloodstream, but also on mucosal surfaces.' 'This improves the body's ability to prevent infection, because there is an additional line of antibody defense before a pathogen enters the body,' he added. Because the tissue in between our teeth and gums is more permeable than other similar tissues, like those lining your stomach, lungs, and intestines, then it should be able to introduce a vaccine into the body relatively easily, triggering the production of antibodies throughout the mucosal layers. To test this idea, the researchers applied peptide flu vaccine on unwaxed dental floss, and then used it to floss the teeth of lab mice. Gill and colleagues then compared the animals' antibody production to that of mice that either received the peptide flu vaccine via a nasal spray or under their tongues. The dental floss vaccine delivered significantly superior antibody production on mucosal surfaces than the under-the-tongue inoculation, and was comparable to the nasal spray. 'This is extremely promising, because most vaccine formulations cannot be given via the nasal epithelium—the barrier features in that mucosal surface prevent efficient uptake of the vaccine,' said Gill, adding that nasal delivery also carries the risk of the vaccine reaching the brain, which could pose safety concerns. 'Vaccination via the junctional epithelium offers no such risk,' he said. The team also tested the floss approach with three other vaccine classes—proteins, inactivated viruses, and mRNA—and revealed that the novel method triggered antibodies both in the bloodstream and mucosal surfaces in all of them. What's more, their efficacy wasn't impeded if the mice consumed food or water right after flossing. To investigate the practicality of the flossing approach, the researchers also tested its mechanics with humans. Using floss picks, they coated the tape with food dye and asked study participants to try and get it as deep between their teeth and their gums as they could. Participants were able to deposit around 60% of the dye in the gum pocket, indicating that vaccine-coated floss picks could be an effective way to deliver vaccines to that tissue. As for costs, the researchers think that it would be similar in price to other vaccine delivery techniques. However, there are some inherent limitations to a floss vaccine. 'For example, it can only be used for individuals with teeth,' the researchers explained in the study. 'Therefore, this approach cannot be used in neonates [newborns] until they experience teeth eruption, which typically occurs at around 6 months of age. Further, the impact of gingival tissue infection on vaccination is unclear. Additional studies are required to answer this question.'
New York Post
30-07-2025
- Health
- New York Post
Could dental floss be the next way to receive vaccines? Scientists say open wide
Dental floss could eventually do much more than improve oral hygiene. A new study led by Texas Tech University and the University of North Carolina suggests that the thin filament could eventually double as a vaccine mechanism. Advertisement In animal models, the researchers showed that dental floss can effectively release vaccines through the tissue between the teeth and gums, according to a press release. In the study, the flossing technique triggered the production of antibodies in 'mucosal surfaces,' such as the lining of the nose and lungs, the release stated. The findings were published in the journal Nature Biomedical Engineering. 'Mucosal surfaces are important because they are a source of entry for pathogens, such as influenza and COVID,' said co-author Harvinder Singh Gill, professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering at North Carolina State University, in the release. Advertisement With the traditional method of injecting vaccines, the antibodies are primarily produced in the bloodstream, he noted. 'But we know that when a vaccine is given via the mucosal surface, antibodies are stimulated not only in the bloodstream, but also on mucosal surfaces,' said Gill. 6 Dental floss could eventually do much more than improve oral hygiene, according to a new study. fStop – 'This improves the body's ability to prevent infection, because there is an additional line of antibody defense before a pathogen enters the body.' Advertisement The vaccine enters through the 'junctional epithelium,' which is a thin layer of tissue in the deep pocket between the tooth and the gum. This tissue doesn't have the same barrier as other tissue linings, which means it can release immune cells into the body. In the study, the researchers added a peptide flu vaccine to unwaxed dental floss before flossing the teeth of lab mice, according to the release. 6 With the traditional method of injecting vaccines, the antibodies are primarily produced in the bloodstream, he noted. Looker_Studio – Advertisement Next, they compared the effectiveness of the floss-delivered vaccine to techniques that delivered it nasally or orally. 'We found that applying vaccine via the junctional epithelium produces a far superior antibody response on mucosal surfaces than the current gold standard for vaccinating via the oral cavity, which involves placing vaccine under the tongue,' said first author Rohan Ingrole, a Ph.D. student at Texas Tech University. 'The flossing technique also provides comparable protection against the flu virus as compared to the vaccine being given via the nasal epithelium.' In addition to flu, the test was repeated for three other vaccine types: proteins, inactivated viruses, and mRNA. 6 'But we know that when a vaccine is given via the mucosal surface, antibodies are stimulated not only in the bloodstream, but also on mucosal surfaces,' said Harvinder Singh Gill, professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering at North Carolina State University. Pormezz – For all types, the flossing technique produced 'robust antibody responses in the bloodstream and across mucosal surfaces,' the release stated. Next, the research team aims to test the effectiveness of vaccine delivery to the epithelial junction in humans through the use of floss picks, which are easier to hold. 'It would be easy to administer, and it addresses concerns many people have about being vaccinated with needles,' Gill said. 'And we think this technique should be comparable in price to other vaccine delivery techniques.' Advertisement Start your day with all you need to know Morning Report delivers the latest news, videos, photos and more. Thanks for signing up! Enter your email address Please provide a valid email address. By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Never miss a story. Check out more newsletters Hua Wang, assistant professor of materials science and engineering at the University of Illinois' Grainger College of Engineering, was not involved in the study but shared his reaction to the findings. 'This study presents a promising floss-based vaccination method that can avoid needle injection or any potentially painful procedure,' he told Fox News Digital. 'The authors demonstrated that vaccine components in the floss coating can penetrate the junctional epithelium in gingival sulcus and reach the underlying tissues, leading to systemic antibody responses.' Advertisement 6 The vaccine enters through the 'junctional epithelium,' which is a thin layer of tissue in the deep pocket between the tooth and the gum. Yuri A/ – The floss-based vaccination method could help to improve patient compliance if it goes through the full evaluation process, he noted. Limitations and future research There are some limitations and drawbacks associated with floss-based vaccines, the researchers acknowledged. Babies and toddlers who don't have teeth yet wouldn't be candidates for the technique, for example. Advertisement 6 The floss-based vaccination method could help to improve patient compliance if it goes through the full evaluation process, Hua Wang, assistant professor at the University of Illinois' Grainger College of Engineering, said. Shava Cueva/Stocksy – 'In addition, we would need to know more about how or whether this approach would work for people who have gum disease or other oral infections,' Gill added. Wang agreed that many questions remain to be answered about this experimental vaccination method. 'In addition to the unclear impact of gingival tissue infection on vaccination, the local and systemic side effects of this vaccination method remain to be understood,' he told Fox News Digital. Advertisement 'For example, vaccination at the gingival tissue may initiate local inflammation that eventually induces undesirable side effects.' 6 'In addition to the unclear impact of gingival tissue infection on vaccination, the local and systemic side effects of this vaccination method remain to be understood,' Wang continued. Science RF – It's also not yet clear what exact path the vaccine components follow when traveling from the tooth site to the tissues or how the immune responses are generated, Wang noted. 'Lastly, from the translation perspective, the efficacy of floss-based vaccines would need to be comparable to conventional needle-based vaccines.' The study was funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and by funds from the Whitacre Endowed Chair in Science and Engineering at Texas Tech University.
Yahoo
28-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Scientists gave mice flu vaccines by flossing their tiny teeth — and it worked
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Scientists have developed a new, needle-free way to deliver vaccines: through the gumline. In a new proof-of-concept study, researchers successfully vaccinated mice against influenza by cleaning their teeth with dental floss coated with inactive flu viruses. Most vaccines are administered using a needle, an approach that has its drawbacks. For example, apprehension about pain from the injection and needle phobias can deter people from getting vaccinated. Additionally, injections require more medical expertise to administer than needle-free options, like mouth drops or nasal sprays, and are more challenging to store and distribute. But a floss-based vaccine could eliminate the pain and logistical challenges surrounding injections and "even be distributed through the postal mail," the researchers behind the development wrote in their study, published July 22 in the journal Nature Biomedical Engineering. Such a vaccine could potentially be deployed in "resource-limited settings with minimal training," they added, and be especially helpful in active outbreaks when vaccine coverage needs to be boosted quickly. Previous studies have shown that vaccinations delivered in the cheek or under the tongue trigger satisfactory immune responses. But it can be difficult to deliver adequate doses of these vaccines through mucosal tissues in the mouth — the lining that acts as a barrier between our body and the environment. Related: Acne vaccine: Experimental shot for common skin condition reaches clinical trials. Here's what you need to know. The researchers behind the vaccine floss found a creative solution: Researchers focusing on gum disease have found particular areas in the mouth that are very permeable, meaning molecules are easily absorbed by the tissue. One of these areas is called the junctional epithelium (JE). The JE is found on the tissue between teeth, at the spot where the tooth's surface meets the gum line. By secreting different molecules, the JE detects and defends against pathogens that try to get in through the gums. The study researchers thought that the JE's ability to allow molecules through and to stimulate an immune response made it a potential candidate for a vaccine site. To reach it, they needed something that could get into that small crevice between tooth and gum. So, they went out and bought some dental floss. To explore this concept, the researchers tested their hypothesis in mice. Once they'd figured out how to floss a mouse's teeth — turns out, it's a two-person job — they set up a flossing schedule to expose 50 mice to an inactive flu virus. Killed, or "inactivated" viruses cannot cause infection and are a common component of vaccines; they're used to immunize humans against diseases such as hepatitis A and polio, for example, and are found in some types of flu shot. One group of mice had their teeth flossed with the virus-coated floss three times, with two weeks between each dose. Then, a month after their final dose, they were exposed to an active flu virus. All survived, while a comparison group of mice that was left unvaccinated all died. Further testing found that the mice that had been vaccinated via the floss had a strong immune response, producing ample antibodies and many immune cells. This immune defense was found throughout the body — known as systemic immunity — and in their saliva and feces. "The floss-based vaccination induced both systemic and mucosal immunity, while conventional intramuscular shots largely stimulate systemic immunity," first study author Rohan Ingrole, a chemical engineer at Texas Tech University, told Live Science in an email. "Mucosal immunity is important because most of the pathogens enter through the mucosal routes," he emphasized. In theory, vaccine floss could thus have an edge over syringe vaccines by triggering this additional protection, but the team would like to directly compare the two methods in the future to validate this idea. RELATED STORIES —2-in-1 COVID-flu vaccine looks promising in trial — but experts say approval may be delayed —At-home flu vaccine approved by FDA — what to know —What are mRNA vaccines, and how do they work? Next, the researchers wanted to know if flossing could transfer compounds to the JE in humans. As an early test, they used a fluorescent marker and blue food coloring to coat a dental pick and had healthy volunteers floss their teeth with it. Photographs confirmed that a fair amount of the dye was transferred to the space between their teeth and gum, though just over 41% was left on the floss. The next step, the researchers said, is to translate the research to larger animals, which "can then lay the foundation for human testing in the near future," senior study author Harvinder Gill, a bioengineer at North Carolina State University, told Live Science in an email. This article is for informational purposes only and is not meant to offer medical advice.
CNBC
23-07-2025
- Health
- CNBC
Healthy Returns: Researchers move closer to a universal cancer vaccine
A universal cancer vaccine – what once seemed like a pipe dream – may be inching closer to becoming reality. On Friday, University of Florida researchers said findings from a new study could lead to the development of a universal shot that can jumpstart the immune system to fight cancer. The study in mice, published in Nature Biomedical Engineering, showed that an experimental mRNA vaccine boosted the tumor-fighting effects of a common cancer drug called immune checkpoint inhibitors. The vaccine is not designed for a specific virus or cancer cells, but engineered to "wake up" the immune system against the disease, "spurring it to respond as if fighting a virus," according to a UF release. "What we found is by using a vaccine designed not to target cancer specifically but rather to stimulate a strong immunologic response, we could elicit a very strong anticancer reaction," Dr. Duane Mitchell, a co-author of the study and professor of neurosurgery at the university's College of Medicine, said in the release. That's unlike current approaches to cancer vaccines, which involve finding a target expressed by many cancer patients or, in the case of Moderna and Merck, developing personalized vaccines tailored to each patient's specific tumor. The universal vaccine has the potential to be used broadly across cancer patients, "even possibly leading us to an off-the-shelf cancer vaccine," Mitchell said. The UF researchers are still working to replicate the findings in humans. If they do, a one-size-fits-all vaccine could provide an alternative to surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. Here's how the vaccine works: The mRNA shot essentially tells the body to produce certain proteins that stimulate the immune system, including one called PD-L1, which is often found on the surface or inside of cancer cells. Those cells often use PD-L1 to hide from immune attacks. But by boosting PD-L1, the vaccine can actually make tumors more vulnerable to immune checkpoint inhibitors that block that protein, helping the immune system recognize and destroy the cancer. The study showed promising results on treatment-resistant tumors in skin cancers by combining the mRNA vaccine with a monoclonal antibody, a common immunotherapy drug that attempts to alert the immune system that a tumor is foreign and should be attacked. It also showed positive results when tested on mouse skin, bone and brain cancers as a solo treatment. In some cases, the tumors were eliminated entirely. "This paper describes a very unexpected and exciting observation: that even a vaccine not specific to any particular tumor or virus – so long as it is an mRNA vaccine – could lead to tumor-specific effects," said senior author Dr. Elias Sayour, a UF Health pediatric oncologist, in a release. Feel free to send any tips, suggestions, story ideas and data to Annika at We're just days away from the peak of digital health earnings season, and this quarter is sure to be an interesting one. The two companies that went public earlier this year, Hinge Health and Omada Health, will report results for the first time since their debut. And since President Donald Trump's tax-and-spending bill passed and his Aug. 1 tariff deadline is approaching, we'll get some insight into how digital health companies have been operating against a volatile macroeconomic and policy backdrop. Here are some of the reports CNBC will be watching for: Hinge Health – Aug. 5 Omada Health – Aug. 7 Hims & Hers Health – Aug. 4 Doximity – Aug. 7 Teladoc Health – July 29 We'll have plenty to dive into in the coming weeks, so be sure to keep up with CNBC's coverage. Feel free to send any tips, suggestions, story ideas and data to Ashley at
Scottish Sun
18-07-2025
- Health
- Scottish Sun
‘One-two-punch' cancer vaccine weaponises the immune system to attack ANY tumour – raising hopes of universal jab
Last year, scientists tested the jab on brain cancer patients and saw a strong immune response that fought the killer tumour TAKEDOWN 'One-two-punch' cancer vaccine weaponises the immune system to attack ANY tumour – raising hopes of universal jab A NEW experimental cancer jab could one day be used to fight any type of tumour, US scientists claim. Experts from the University of Florida say they've developed a powerful mRNA vaccine that trains the immune system to target and destroy cancer cells. 1 The discovery brings us closer to a universal cancer jab that could work across many tumour types Credit: Getty It's dubbed the 'one-two punch' after the powerful boxing move where a jab sets up a cross to knock the opponent down. This is because this jab also works in two steps: first by waking up the immune system, then helping it attack cancer cells more effectively. It does this by boosting the effects of immunotherapy, a type of cancer treatment that helps the immune system recognise and attack cancer cells. The groundbreaking discovery brings us closer to a universal cancer jab that could work across many tumour types, it is hope Research in mice showed that combining the jab with a common immunotherapy drug called an immune checkpoint inhibitor helped fight even resistant tumours. Dr Elias Sayour, the study's senior author, said: 'This paper describes a very unexpected and exciting observation: that even a vaccine not specific to any particular tumour or virus, so long as it is an mRNA vaccine, could lead to tumour-specific effects.' He added: 'This finding is a proof of concept that these vaccines potentially could be commercialised as universal cancer vaccines to sensitise the immune system against a patient's individual tumour.' Unlike previous cancer vaccines that try to hone in on a particular protein in the cell, the new jab works by simply firing up the immune system, tricking it into responding as if it were under viral attack. By boosting levels of a protein called PD-L1 inside tumours, it makes them more receptive to immunotherapy and helps immune cells recognise them as dangerous. Lead scientist Dr Duane Mitchell, co-author of the study, said: 'What we found is by using a vaccine designed not to target cancer specifically but rather to stimulate a strong immunologic response, we could elicit a very strong anticancer reaction. The signs and symptoms of cancer 'And so this has significant potential to be broadly used across cancer patients, even possibly leading us to an off-the-shelf cancer vaccine.' For the past eight years, Dr Sayour's lab has been developing cutting-edge vaccines using the same mRNA technology found in Covid jabs. Last year, they trialled a personalised version in four patients with glioblastoma - an aggressive and usually deadly brain tumour. They saw a fast and fierce immune response that helped fight off the cancer. 'Profound' The latest study, published today in Nature Biomedical Engineering, tested a more generalised version of the jab, not tailored to individual tumours, and still saw dramatic results. In mice with melanoma, a type of deadly skin cancer, combining the jab with an immunotherapy drug called a PD-1 inhibitor led to tumour shrinkage While in some skin, bone, and brain cancer models, the jab alone eliminated tumours completely. Dr Sayour explained: 'Even an immune response that is seemingly unrelated to the cancer may be able to activate T cells that weren't working before, allowing them to multiply and kill the tumour if the response is strong enough.' Dr Mitchell said: 'It could potentially be a universal way of waking up a patient's own immune response to cancer. 'And that would be profound if generalisable to human studies.' The team are now working to improve the formula and begin human trials as soon as possible.
