In Lab Study, Pfizer Vaccine Showed Potential to Alter DNA in Human Liver Cells, But Scientists Caution More Research Needed

Swedish researchers showed the mRNA from the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine can be reverse-transcribed into DNA in human liver cells in vitro, but more research is needed to determine if this transcribed vaccine-derived DNA can integrate into human genomic DNA.

By Julie Comber, Ph.D.

Story at-a-glance

• There have been large numbers of adverse events associated with the Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA vaccine, or BNT162b2.
• RNA vaccines are appealing because they can be developed quickly compared to vaccines that use other technologies.
• However, with this novel technology, we don’t know all the potential risks, such as the possibility of genetic modification of the genomic DNA.
• This study from Lund University showed BNT162b2 enters human liver cells in vitro and is reverse-transcribed into DNA within six hours.
• The study did not assess whether the DNA reverse-transcribed from BNT162b2 is integrated into human genomic DNA.
• The investigators recommended further research to determine if the reverse-transcribed DNA derived from BTN162b2 can integrate into human genomic DNA, because this could cause adverse events.

Researchers from Lund University in Sweden published a study showing the mRNA from the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine (BNT162b2) can be reverse-transcribed into DNA in human liver cells in vitro (outside the living body).

Transcription is the normal process by which mammalian cells use DNA to synthesize a molecule of RNA, before translating the RNA into protein. Reverse-transcription is when the cells use RNA molecules to synthesize DNA.

Some articles and social media posts interpreted the Lund study to mean that if the BNT162b2-derived DNA is reverse-transcribed, it can then integrate into the genomic DNA within the cell nucleus, and thus change human DNA.

However, this interpretation is incorrect. What the study actually showed is that mRNA from the Pfizer vaccine can be reverse-transcribed into DNA fragments within the cells of a human liver cell line in vitro.

In other words, the researchers witnessed the reverse-transcription process in a lab, outside the human body — they did not observe the reverse-transcription in a human who received the vaccine.

The authors concluded further studies are needed to investigate whether BNT162b2-derived DNA can integrate into human chromosomes.

The authors are right — scientists should conduct these studies.

Why? Because if vaccine-derived mRNA can be reverse-transcribed into DNA, and then integrate into the chromosomal DNA in a given cell, it’s possible this cell would be able to keep making the spike protein indefinitely. If that were to happen, and the spike protein continued to “present” on the cell’s surface, the immune system would target those cells for destruction, which could lead to organ damage.

Moreover, this DNA would be replicated each time the cell divides, giving rise to an entire cell line that is potentially capable of generating spike protein.

Another potential concern is this: If the BNT162b2-derived DNA can become integrated into human genomic DNA, this could cause genetic modification of the germline, meaning the DNA within egg or sperm cells. If this were to occur, the genetic modification could be inherited.

Pfizer’s preclinical data from animal studies showed that small amounts of BNT162b2 end up in the ovaries and testes after injection.

If BNT162b2 DNA became integrated into an important gene in an egg or sperm cell, and disrupted the expression of that gene, that could be catastrophic for the resulting embryo.

Worse, if the DNA coding the spike protein remained intact and expressed, that would likely be lethal to an embryo.

The BNT162b2-derived DNA could also become integrated into a non-coding region (a region of DNA that does not code for a protein), and not cause issues. The key is to determine if this is a possibility, and if it is, what is the risk?…..more here

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