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Bitounis D, Jacquinet E, Rogers MA, Amiji MM. Strategies to reduce the risks of mRNA drug and vaccine toxicity. Nat Rev Drug Discov 2024; 23:281-300. [PMID: 38263456 DOI: 10.1038/s41573-023-00859-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2024]
Abstract
mRNA formulated with lipid nanoparticles is a transformative technology that has enabled the rapid development and administration of billions of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine doses worldwide. However, avoiding unacceptable toxicity with mRNA drugs and vaccines presents challenges. Lipid nanoparticle structural components, production methods, route of administration and proteins produced from complexed mRNAs all present toxicity concerns. Here, we discuss these concerns, specifically how cell tropism and tissue distribution of mRNA and lipid nanoparticles can lead to toxicity, and their possible reactogenicity. We focus on adverse events from mRNA applications for protein replacement and gene editing therapies as well as vaccines, tracing common biochemical and cellular pathways. The potential and limitations of existing models and tools used to screen for on-target efficacy and de-risk off-target toxicity, including in vivo and next-generation in vitro models, are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dimitrios Bitounis
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA
- Moderna, Inc., Cambridge, MA, USA
| | | | | | - Mansoor M Amiji
- Departments of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Chemical Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA.
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52
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Ghafoor D, Zeb A, Ali SS, Ali M, Akbar F, Ud Din Z, Ur Rehman S, Suleman M, Khan W. Immunoinformatic based designing of potential immunogenic novel mRNA and peptide-based prophylactic vaccines against H5N1 and H7N9 avian influenza viruses. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2024; 42:3641-3658. [PMID: 37222664 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2023.2214228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Influenza viruses are the most common cause of serious respiratory illnesses worldwide and are responsible for a significant number of annual fatalities. Therefore, it is crucial to look for new immunogenic sites that might trigger an effective immune response. In the present study, bioinformatics tools were used to design mRNA and multiepitope-based vaccines against H5N1 and H7N9 subtypes of avian influenza viruses. Several Immunoinformatic tools were employed to extrapolate T and B lymphocyte epitopes of HA and NA proteins of both subtypes. The molecular docking approach was used to dock the selected HTL and CTL epitopes with the corresponding MHC molecules. Eight (8) CTL, four (4) HTL, and Six (6) linear B cell epitopes were chosen for the structural arrangement of mRNA and of peptide-based prophylactic vaccine designs. Different physicochemical characteristics of the selected epitopes fitted with suitable linkers were analyzed. High antigenic, non-toxic, and non-allergenic features of the designed vaccines were noted at a neutral physiological pH. Codon optimization tool was used to check the GC content and CAI value of constructed MEVC-Flu vaccine, which were recorded to be 50.42% and 0.97 respectively. the GC content and CAI value verify the stable expression of vaccine in pET28a + vector. In-silico immunological simulation the MEVC-Flu vaccine construct revealed a high level of immune responses. The molecular dynamics simulation and docking results confirmed the stable interaction of TLR-8 and MEVC-Flu vaccine. Based on these parameters, vaccine constructs can be regarded as an optimistic choice against H5N1 and H7N9 strains of the influenza virus. Further experimental testing of these prophylactic vaccine designs against pathogenic avian influenza strains may clarify their safety and efficacy.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dawood Ghafoor
- Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, CAS Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Adnan Zeb
- Department of Biotechnology, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Syed Shujait Ali
- Centre for Biotechnology and Microbiology, University of Swat, Swat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Ali
- Department of Biotechnology, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Fazal Akbar
- Centre for Biotechnology and Microbiology, University of Swat, Swat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
| | - Zia Ud Din
- Center for Advanced Studies in Vaccinology and Biotechnology, University of Balochistan Quetta, Quetta, Pakistan
| | - Shoaib Ur Rehman
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Science and Technology, Bannu, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Suleman
- Centre for Biotechnology and Microbiology, University of Swat, Swat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
| | - Wajid Khan
- Centre for Biotechnology and Microbiology, University of Swat, Swat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
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Wang J, Zhu H, Gan J, Liang G, Li L, Zhao Y. Engineered mRNA Delivery Systems for Biomedical Applications. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2024; 36:e2308029. [PMID: 37805865 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202308029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2023] [Revised: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/09/2023]
Abstract
Messenger RNA (mRNA)-based therapeutic strategies have shown remarkable promise in preventing and treating a staggering range of diseases. Optimizing the structure and delivery system of engineered mRNA has greatly improved its stability, immunogenicity, and protein expression levels, which has led to a wider range of uses for mRNA therapeutics. Herein, a thorough analysis of the optimization strategies used in the structure of mRNA is first provided and delivery systems are described in great detail. Furthermore, the latest advancements in biomedical engineering for mRNA technology, including its applications in combatting infectious diseases, treating cancer, providing protein replacement therapy, conducting gene editing, and more, are summarized. Lastly, a perspective on forthcoming challenges and prospects concerning the advancement of mRNA therapeutics is offered. Despite these challenges, mRNA-based therapeutics remain promising, with the potential to revolutionize disease treatment and contribute to significant advancements in the biomedical field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji Wang
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China
| | - Haofang Zhu
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China
| | - Jingjing Gan
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China
| | - Gaofeng Liang
- Institute of Organoids on Chips Translational Research, Henan Academy of Sciences, Zhengzhou, 450009, China
| | - Ling Li
- Department of Endocrinology, Zhongda Hospital, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Yuanjin Zhao
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China
- Institute of Organoids on Chips Translational Research, Henan Academy of Sciences, Zhengzhou, 450009, China
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Müller JA, Schäffler N, Kellerer T, Schwake G, Ligon TS, Rädler JO. Kinetics of RNA-LNP delivery and protein expression. Eur J Pharm Biopharm 2024; 197:114222. [PMID: 38387850 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejpb.2024.114222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Revised: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024]
Abstract
Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) employing ionizable lipids are the most advanced technology for delivery of RNA, most notably mRNA, to cells. LNPs represent well-defined core-shell particles with efficient nucleic acid encapsulation, low immunogenicity and enhanced efficacy. While much is known about the structure and activity of LNPs, less attention is given to the timing of LNP uptake, cytosolic transfer and protein expression. However, LNP kinetics is a key factor determining delivery efficiency. Hence quantitative insight into the multi-cascaded pathway of LNPs is of interest to elucidate the mechanism of delivery. Here, we review experiments as well as theoretical modeling of the timing of LNP uptake, mRNA-release and protein expression. We describe LNP delivery as a sequence of stochastic transfer processes and review a mathematical model of subsequent protein translation from mRNA. We compile probabilities and numbers obtained from time resolved microscopy. Specifically, live-cell imaging on single cell arrays (LISCA) allows for high-throughput acquisition of thousands of individual GFP reporter expression time courses. The traces yield the distribution of mRNA life-times, expression rates and expression onset. Correlation analysis reveals an inverse dependence of gene expression efficiency and transfection onset-times. Finally, we discuss why timing of mRNA release is critical in the context of codelivery of multiple nucleic acid species as in the case of mRNA co-expression or CRISPR/Cas gene editing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judith A Müller
- Faculty of Physics and Center for NanoScience, Ludwig Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
| | - Nathalie Schäffler
- Faculty of Physics and Center for NanoScience, Ludwig Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
| | - Thomas Kellerer
- Multiphoton Imaging Lab, Munich University of Applied Sciences, Munich, Germany
| | - Gerlinde Schwake
- Faculty of Physics and Center for NanoScience, Ludwig Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
| | | | - Joachim O Rädler
- Faculty of Physics and Center for NanoScience, Ludwig Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany.
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55
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Sanchez J, Martinez ES, Loveless B, Sees JP, Zammuto J, Szurmant H, Fuchs S, Crone P, Hostoffer R. Augmentation of immune response to vaccinations through osteopathic manipulative treatment: a study of procedure. J Osteopath Med 2024; 124:163-170. [PMID: 38011280 DOI: 10.1515/jom-2023-0198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
CONTEXT Anecdotal evidence suggested that osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) may have imparted survivability to patients in osteopathic hospitals during the 1918 influenza pandemic. In addition, previous OMT research publications throughout the past century have shown evidence of increased lymphatic movement, resulting in improved immunologic function qualitatively and quantitatively. OBJECTIVES The following is a description of a proposed protocol to evaluate OMT effects on antibody generation in the peripheral circulation in response to a vaccine and its possible use in the augmentation of various vaccines. This protocol will serve as a template for OMT vaccination studies, and by adhering to the gold standard of randomized controlled trials (RCTs), future studies utilizing this outline may contribute to the much-needed advancement of the scientific literature in this field. METHODS This manuscript intends to describe a protocol that will demonstrate increased antibody titers to a vaccine through OMT utilized in previous historical studies. Confirmation data will follow this manuscript validating the protocol. Study participants will be divided into groups with and without OMT with lymphatic pumps. Each group will receive the corresponding vaccine and have antibody titers measured against the specific vaccine pathogen drawn at determined intervals. RESULTS These results will be statistically evaluated. Our demonstration of a rational scientific OMT vaccine antibody augmentation will serve as the standard for such investigation that will be reported in the future. These vaccines could include COVID-19 mRNA, influenza, shingles, rabies, and various others. The antibody response to vaccines is the resulting conclusion of its administration. Osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM) lymphatic pumps have, in the past through anecdotal reports and smaller pilot studies, shown effectiveness on peripheral immune augmentation to vaccines. CONCLUSIONS This described protocol will be the template for more extensive scientific studies supporting osteopathic medicine's benefit on vaccine response. The initial vaccine studies will include the COVID-19 mRNA, influenza, shingles, and rabies vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesus Sanchez
- Department of Neuromusculoskeletal Medicine/Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine, College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific at Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, CA, USA
| | - Eric S Martinez
- Department of Neuromusculoskeletal Medicine/Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine, College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific at Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, CA, USA
| | - Brian Loveless
- Department of Neuromusculoskeletal Medicine/Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine, College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific at Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, CA, USA
| | - Julieanne P Sees
- Fellow Osteopathic Medicine, National Academy of Medicine, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Joseph Zammuto
- Associate Professor of Family Medicine, Western University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific, Pomona, CA, USA
| | - Hendrik Szurmant
- Department of Basic Sciences, College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific at Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, CA, USA
| | - Sebastien Fuchs
- Department of Basic Sciences, College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific at Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, CA, USA
| | - Paula Crone
- Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, CA, USA
| | - Robert Hostoffer
- University Hospitals, Cleveland Medical Center, Cleveland, OH, USA
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56
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Zhang H, Gao X, Sun Q, Dong X, Zhu Z, Yang C. Incorporation of poly(γ-glutamic acid) in lipid nanoparticles for enhanced mRNA delivery efficiency in vitro and in vivo. Acta Biomater 2024; 177:361-376. [PMID: 38342193 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2024.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2023] [Revised: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 02/04/2024] [Indexed: 02/13/2024]
Abstract
Messenger RNA (mRNA)-based therapy shows immense potential for broad biomedical applications. However, the development of safe and efficacious mRNA delivery vectors remains challenging due to delivery barriers and inefficient intracellular payload release. Herein, we presented a simple strategy to boost the mRNA intracellular release by incorporation of anionic poly(γ-glutamic acid) (PGA) into an ionizable lipid-based LNP/mRNA. We systematically investigated the impact of PGA incorporation on mRNA transfection both in vitro and in vivo. The molecular weights and formulation ratios of PGA greatly affected the transfection efficacy of LNP/mRNA. From in vitro study, the optimized LNP/mRNA/PGA was formulated by incorporation of PGA with the molecular weight of 80 kDa or 200 kDa and the charge ratio (N/P/C) of 25/1/1. The optimized formulation achieved around 3-fold mRNA expression in HeLa cells compared to the bare LNP/mRNA. The intracellular releasing study using specific DNA probe revealed that this enhancement of transfection efficacy was attributed to the elevated mRNA release into cytoplasm. Moreover, the optimized LNP/mRNA/PGA achieved up to 5-fold or 3-fold increase of luciferase mRNA expression in vivo after being injected into mice systematically or intramuscularly, respectively. In addition, the incorporation of PGA did not significantly alter the biodistribution profile of the complexes on both organ and cellular levels. Therefore, our work provides a simple strategy to boost mRNA delivery, which holds great promise to improve the efficacy of mRNA therapeutics for various biomedical applications. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: The process of designing and screening potent mRNA carriers is complicated and time-consuming, while the efficacy is not always satisfying due to the delivery barriers and inefficient mRNA release. This work presented an alternative strategy to boost the mRNA delivery efficacy by incorporating an anionic natural polymer poly(γ-glutamic acid) (PGA) into LNP/mRNA complexes. The optimized LNP/mRNA/PGA achieved up to 3-fold and 5-fold increase in transfection efficacy in vitro and in vivo, respectively. Intracellular releasing analysis revealed that the enhancement of transfection efficacy was mainly attributed to the elevated intracellular release of mRNA. In addition, the incorporation of PGA did not alter the biodistribution or the biosafety profile of the complexes. These findings indicate that PGA incorporation is a promising strategy to improve the efficacy of mRNA therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongqian Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Colloid and Interface Chemistry of the Ministry of Education, and School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 25010, China
| | - Xue Gao
- Key Laboratory of Colloid and Interface Chemistry of the Ministry of Education, and School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 25010, China
| | - Qian Sun
- Key Laboratory of Colloid and Interface Chemistry of the Ministry of Education, and School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 25010, China
| | - Xiaoxue Dong
- Key Laboratory of Colloid and Interface Chemistry of the Ministry of Education, and School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 25010, China
| | - Zongwei Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Colloid and Interface Chemistry of the Ministry of Education, and School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 25010, China
| | - Chuanxu Yang
- Key Laboratory of Colloid and Interface Chemistry of the Ministry of Education, and School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 25010, China.
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Chaudhary N, Newby AN, Arral ML, Yerneni SS, LoPresti ST, Doerfler R, Petersen DMS, Montoya C, Kim JS, Fox B, Coon T, Malaney A, Sadovsky Y, Whitehead KA. Lipid nanoparticle structure and delivery route during pregnancy dictate mRNA potency, immunogenicity, and maternal and fetal outcomes. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2307810121. [PMID: 38437545 PMCID: PMC10945816 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2307810121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Treating pregnancy-related disorders is exceptionally challenging because the threat of maternal and/or fetal toxicity discourages the use of existing medications and hinders new drug development. One potential solution is the use of lipid nanoparticle (LNP) RNA therapies, given their proven efficacy, tolerability, and lack of fetal accumulation. Here, we describe LNPs for efficacious mRNA delivery to maternal organs in pregnant mice via several routes of administration. In the placenta, our lead LNP transfected trophoblasts, endothelial cells, and immune cells, with efficacy being structurally dependent on the ionizable lipid polyamine headgroup. Next, we show that LNP-induced maternal inflammatory responses affect mRNA expression in the maternal compartment and hinder neonatal development. Specifically, pro-inflammatory LNP structures and routes of administration curtailed efficacy in maternal lymphoid organs in an IL-1β-dependent manner. Further, immunogenic LNPs provoked the infiltration of adaptive immune cells into the placenta and restricted pup growth after birth. Together, our results provide mechanism-based structural guidance on the design of potent LNPs for safe use during pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Namit Chaudhary
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA15213
| | - Alexandra N. Newby
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA15213
| | - Mariah L. Arral
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA15213
| | | | - Samuel T. LoPresti
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA15213
| | - Rose Doerfler
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA15213
| | | | - Catalina Montoya
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA15213
| | - Julie S. Kim
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA15213
| | - Bethany Fox
- Mellon Institute Centralized Vivarium, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA15213
| | - Tiffany Coon
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Magee-Womens Research Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA15213
| | - Angela Malaney
- Mellon Institute Centralized Vivarium, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA15213
| | - Yoel Sadovsky
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Magee-Womens Research Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA15213
| | - Kathryn A. Whitehead
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA15213
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA15213
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58
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Binici B, Rattray Z, Schroeder A, Perrie Y. The Role of Biological Sex in Pre-Clinical (Mouse) mRNA Vaccine Studies. Vaccines (Basel) 2024; 12:282. [PMID: 38543916 PMCID: PMC10975141 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines12030282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2024] [Revised: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/01/2024] Open
Abstract
In this study, we consider the influence of biological sex-specific immune responses on the assessment of mRNA vaccines in pre-clinical murine studies. Recognising the established disparities in immune function attributed to genetic and hormonal differences between individuals of different biological sexes, we compared the mRNA expression and immune responses in mice of both biological sexes after intramuscular injection with mRNA incorporated within lipid nanoparticles. Regarding mRNA expression, no significant difference in protein (luciferase) expression at the injection site was observed between female and male mice following intramuscular administration; however, we found that female BALB/c mice exhibit significantly greater total IgG responses across the concentration range of mRNA lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) in comparison to their male counterparts. This study not only contributes to the scientific understanding of mRNA vaccine evaluation but also emphasizes the importance of considering biological sex in vaccine study designs during pre-clinical evaluation in murine studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Burcu Binici
- Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow G4 0RE, UK; (B.B.); (Z.R.)
| | - Zahra Rattray
- Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow G4 0RE, UK; (B.B.); (Z.R.)
| | - Avi Schroeder
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Technion, Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, Israel;
| | - Yvonne Perrie
- Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow G4 0RE, UK; (B.B.); (Z.R.)
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Tabasi H, Mollazadeh S, Fazeli E, Abnus K, Taghdisi SM, Ramezani M, Alibolandi M. Transitional Insight into the RNA-Based Oligonucleotides in Cancer Treatment. Appl Biochem Biotechnol 2024; 196:1685-1711. [PMID: 37402038 DOI: 10.1007/s12010-023-04597-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/05/2023]
Abstract
Conventional cancer therapies with chemodrugs suffer from various disadvantages, such as irreversible side effects on the skin, heart, liver, and nerves with even fatal consequences. RNA-based therapeutic is a novel technology which offers great potential as non-toxic, non-infectious, and well-tolerable platform. Herein, we introduce different RNA-based platforms with a special focus on siRNA, miRNA, and mRNA applications in cancer treatment in order to better understand the details of their therapeutic effects. Of note, the co-delivery of RNAs with other distinct RNA or drugs has provided safe, efficient, and novel treatment modalities for cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hamed Tabasi
- Pharmaceutical Research Center, Pharmaceutical Technology Institute, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Pharmacy, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Samaneh Mollazadeh
- Natural Products and Medicinal Plants Research Center, North Khorasan University of Medical Sciences, Bojnurd, Iran
| | - Elham Fazeli
- Biomedicine Department, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Khalil Abnus
- Pharmaceutical Research Center, Pharmaceutical Technology Institute, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Seyed Mohammad Taghdisi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Pharmacy, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Mohammad Ramezani
- Pharmaceutical Research Center, Pharmaceutical Technology Institute, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Pharmacy, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
| | - Mona Alibolandi
- Pharmaceutical Research Center, Pharmaceutical Technology Institute, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Pharmacy, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
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60
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Kenoosh HA, Pallathadka H, Hjazi A, Al-Dhalimy AMB, Zearah SA, Ghildiyal P, Al-Mashhadani ZI, Mustafa YF, Hizam MM, Elawady A. Recent advances in mRNA-based vaccine for cancer therapy; bench to bedside. Cell Biochem Funct 2024; 42:e3954. [PMID: 38403905 DOI: 10.1002/cbf.3954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2023] [Revised: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
The messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines have progressed from a theoretical concept to a clinical reality over the last few decades. Compared to conventional vaccination methods, these vaccines have a number of benefits, such as substantial potency, rapid growth, inexpensive production, and safe administration. Nevertheless, their usefulness was restricted up to now due to worries about the erratic and ineffective circulation of mRNA in vivo. Thankfully, these worries have largely been allayed by recent technological developments, which have led to the creation of multiple mRNA vaccination platforms for cancer and viral infections. The mRNA vaccines have been demonstrated as a powerful alternative to traditional conventional vaccines because of their high potency, safety and efficacy, capacity for rapid clinical development, and potential for rapid, low-cost manufacturing. The paper will examine the present status of mRNA vaccine technology and suggest future paths for the advancement and application of this exciting vaccine platform as a common therapeutic choice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hadeel Ahmed Kenoosh
- Department of Medical Laboratory Techniques, Al-Maarif University College, AL-Anbar, Iraq
| | | | - Ahmed Hjazi
- Department of Medical Laboratory, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia
| | | | | | - Pallavi Ghildiyal
- Uttaranchal Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Uttaranchal University, Dehradun, India
| | | | - Yasser Fakri Mustafa
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, University of Mosul, Mosul, Iraq
| | - Manar Mohammed Hizam
- College of Pharmacy, National University of Science and Technology, Dhi Qar, Iraq
| | - Ahmed Elawady
- College of Technical Engineering, The Islamic University, Najaf, Iraq
- College of Technical Engineering, The Islamic University of Al Diwaniyah, Al Diwaniyah, Iraq
- College of Technical Engineering, The Islamic University of Babylon, Babylon, Iraq
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61
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Huang M, Cui T, Liu S, Su X, Wang Y, Wang J, Zhong J, Cao J, Mei X, Li K, Luo Q, Sun X, Cheng L, Wei R, Zhao Z, Wang Z. Blended BA.5 infection within 8 days after a boosted bivalent mRNA vaccination strengthens and lengthens the host immunity. J Med Virol 2024; 96:e29544. [PMID: 38511577 DOI: 10.1002/jmv.29544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Revised: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
The impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection shortly after vaccination on vaccine-induced immunity is unknown, which is also one of the concerns for some vaccinees during the pandemic. Here, based on a cohort of individuals who encountered BA.5 infection within 8 days after receiving the fourth dose of a bivalent mRNA vaccine, preceded by three doses of inactivated vaccines, we show that booster mRNA vaccination provided 48% protection efficacy against symptomatic infections. At Day 7 postvaccination, the level of neutralizing antibodies (Nabs) against WT and BA.5 strains in the uninfected group trended higher than those in the symptomatic infection group. Moreover, there were greater variations in Nabs levels and a significant decrease in virus-specific CD4+ T cell response observed in the symptomatic infection group. However, symptomatic BA.5 infection significantly increased Nab levels against XBB.1.9.1 and BA.5 (symptomatic > asymptomatic > uninfected group) at Day 10 and resulted in a more gradual decrease in Nabs against BA.5 compared to the uninfected group at Day 90. Our data suggest that BA.5 infection might hinder the early generation of Nabs and the recall of the CD4+ T cell response but strengthens the Nab and virus-specific T cell response in the later phase. Our data confirmed that infection can enhance host immunity regardless of the short interval between vaccination and infection and alleviate concerns about infections shortly after vaccination, which provides valuable guidance for developing future vaccine administration strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingzhu Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease & National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Tingting Cui
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease & National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangzhou National Laboratory, Guangzhou International Bio Island, Guangzhou, China
| | - Siyi Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease & National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaoling Su
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease & National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangzhou National Laboratory, Guangzhou International Bio Island, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease & National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Junxiang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease & National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiaying Zhong
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease & National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jinpeng Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease & National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangzhou National Laboratory, Guangzhou International Bio Island, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xinyue Mei
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease & National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Kaiyi Li
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease & National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qi Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease & National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xi Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease & National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Li Cheng
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease & National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Rui Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease & National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhuxiang Zhao
- Department of Infectious Disease, Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Guangzhou First People's Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhongfang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease & National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangzhou National Laboratory, Guangzhou International Bio Island, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Infectious Disease, Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Guangzhou First People's Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
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Krammer F, Palese P. Profile of Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman: 2023 Nobel laureates in Physiology or Medicine. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2400423121. [PMID: 38381788 PMCID: PMC10907315 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2400423121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/23/2024] Open
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63
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Bae KH, Shunmuganathan B, Zhang L, Lim A, Gupta R, Wang Y, Chua BL, Wang Y, Gu Y, Qian X, Tan ISL, Purushotorman K, MacAry PA, White KP, Yang YY. Durable cross-protective neutralizing antibody responses elicited by lipid nanoparticle-formulated SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccines. NPJ Vaccines 2024; 9:43. [PMID: 38396073 PMCID: PMC10891077 DOI: 10.1038/s41541-024-00835-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
The advent of SARS-CoV-2 variants with defined mutations that augment pathogenicity and/or increase immune evasiveness continues to stimulate global efforts to improve vaccine formulation and efficacy. The extraordinary advantages of lipid nanoparticles (LNPs), including versatile design, scalability, and reproducibility, make them ideal candidates for developing next-generation mRNA vaccines against circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants. Here, we assess the efficacy of LNP-encapsulated mRNA booster vaccines encoding the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 for variants of concern (Delta, Omicron) and using a predecessor (YN2016C isolated from bats) strain spike protein to elicit durable cross-protective neutralizing antibody responses. The mRNA-LNP vaccines have desirable physicochemical characteristics, such as small size (~78 nm), low polydispersity index (<0.13), and high encapsulation efficiency (>90%). We employ in vivo bioluminescence imaging to illustrate the capacity of our LNPs to induce robust mRNA expression in secondary lymphoid organs. In a BALB/c mouse model, a three-dose subcutaneous immunization of mRNA-LNPs vaccines achieved remarkably high levels of cross-neutralization against the Omicron B1.1.529 and BA.2 variants for extended periods of time (28 weeks) with good safety profiles for all constructs when used in a booster regime, including the YN2016C bat virus sequences. These findings have important implications for the design of mRNA-LNP vaccines that aim to trigger durable cross-protective immunity against the current and newly emerging variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ki Hyun Bae
- Bioprocessing Technology Institute (BTI), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 20 Biopolis Way, Centros #06-01, Singapore, 138668, Republic of Singapore
| | - Bhuvaneshwari Shunmuganathan
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117545, Republic of Singapore
- NUS-Cambridge Immune Phenotyping Centre (NCIPC), Life Sciences Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117456, Republic of Singapore
| | - Li Zhang
- Bioprocessing Technology Institute (BTI), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 20 Biopolis Way, Centros #06-01, Singapore, 138668, Republic of Singapore
| | - Andrew Lim
- Provaxus, Inc, Dover, Delaware, 19901, USA
| | - Rashi Gupta
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117545, Republic of Singapore
- NUS-Cambridge Immune Phenotyping Centre (NCIPC), Life Sciences Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117456, Republic of Singapore
| | - Yanming Wang
- Bioprocessing Technology Institute (BTI), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 20 Biopolis Way, Centros #06-01, Singapore, 138668, Republic of Singapore
| | - Boon Lin Chua
- Bioprocessing Technology Institute (BTI), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 20 Biopolis Way, Centros #06-01, Singapore, 138668, Republic of Singapore
| | - Yang Wang
- Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 60 Biopolis St, Singapore, 138672, Republic of Singapore
| | - Yue Gu
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117545, Republic of Singapore
- NUS-Cambridge Immune Phenotyping Centre (NCIPC), Life Sciences Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117456, Republic of Singapore
| | - Xinlei Qian
- NUS-Cambridge Immune Phenotyping Centre (NCIPC), Life Sciences Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117456, Republic of Singapore
| | - Isabelle Siang Ling Tan
- NUS-Cambridge Immune Phenotyping Centre (NCIPC), Life Sciences Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117456, Republic of Singapore
| | - Kiren Purushotorman
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117545, Republic of Singapore
- NUS-Cambridge Immune Phenotyping Centre (NCIPC), Life Sciences Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117456, Republic of Singapore
| | - Paul A MacAry
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117545, Republic of Singapore.
- NUS-Cambridge Immune Phenotyping Centre (NCIPC), Life Sciences Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117456, Republic of Singapore.
| | - Kevin P White
- Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 60 Biopolis St, Singapore, 138672, Republic of Singapore.
- Department of Biochemistry and Precision Medicine Translational Research Program, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 119228, Republic of Singapore.
| | - Yi Yan Yang
- Bioprocessing Technology Institute (BTI), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 20 Biopolis Way, Centros #06-01, Singapore, 138668, Republic of Singapore.
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Wang HY, Li L, Nelson CS, Barfield R, Valencia S, Chan C, Muramatsu H, Lin PJC, Pardi N, An Z, Weissman D, Permar SR. Multivalent cytomegalovirus glycoprotein B nucleoside modified mRNA vaccines did not demonstrate a greater antibody breadth. NPJ Vaccines 2024; 9:38. [PMID: 38378950 PMCID: PMC10879498 DOI: 10.1038/s41541-024-00821-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) remains the most common congenital infection and infectious complication in immunocompromised patients. The most successful HCMV vaccine to date, an HCMV glycoprotein B (gB) subunit vaccine adjuvanted with MF59, achieved 50% efficacy against primary HCMV infection. A previous study demonstrated that gB/MF59 vaccinees were less frequently infected with HCMV gB genotype strains most similar to the vaccine strain than strains encoding genetically distinct gB genotypes, suggesting strain-specific immunity accounted for the limited efficacy. To determine whether vaccination with multiple HCMV gB genotypes could increase the breadth of anti-HCMV gB humoral and cellular responses, we immunized 18 female rabbits with monovalent (gB-1), bivalent (gB-1+gB-3), or pentavalent (gB-1+gB-2+gB-3+gB-4+gB-5) gB lipid nanoparticle-encapsulated nucleoside-modified RNA (mRNA-LNP) vaccines. The multivalent vaccine groups did not demonstrate a higher magnitude or breadth of the IgG response to the gB ectodomain or cell-associated gB compared to that of the monovalent vaccine. Also, the multivalent vaccines did not show an increase in the breadth of neutralization activity and antibody-dependent cellular phagocytosis against HCMV strains encoding distinct gB genotypes. Interestingly, peripheral blood mononuclear cell-derived gB-2-specific T-cell responses elicited by multivalent vaccines were of a higher magnitude compared to that of monovalent vaccinated animals against a vaccine-mismatched gB genotype at peak immunogenicity. Yet, no statistical differences were observed in T cell response against gB-3 and gB-5 variable regions among the three vaccine groups. Our data suggests that the inclusion of multivalent gB antigens is not an effective strategy to increase the breadth of anti-HCMV gB antibody and T cell responses. Understanding how to increase the HCMV vaccine protection breadth will be essential to improve the vaccine efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hsuan-Yuan Wang
- Department of Pediatrics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, 10065, USA
- Duke University Medical Center, Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
| | - Leike Li
- Texas Therapeutics Institute, Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
- Takeda Pharmaceutical, San Diego, CA, 92121, USA
| | - Cody S Nelson
- Division of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Richard Barfield
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
- Center for Human Systems Immunology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
| | - Sarah Valencia
- Duke University Medical Center, Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
| | - Cliburn Chan
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
- Center for Human Systems Immunology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
| | - Hiromi Muramatsu
- Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
- Department of Microbiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Paulo J C Lin
- Acuitas Therapeutics, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Norbert Pardi
- Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
- Department of Microbiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Zhiqiang An
- Texas Therapeutics Institute, Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Drew Weissman
- Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Sallie R Permar
- Department of Pediatrics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, 10065, USA.
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65
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Zhang X, Li Y, Zhou Z. Lipid Nanoparticle-Based Delivery System-A Competing Place for mRNA Vaccines. ACS OMEGA 2024; 9:6219-6234. [PMID: 38371811 PMCID: PMC10870384 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.3c08353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Revised: 12/24/2023] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
mRNA, as one of the foci of biomedical research in the past decade, has become a candidate vaccine solution for various infectious diseases and tumors and for regenerative medicine and immunotherapy due to its high efficiency, safety, and effectiveness. A stable and effective delivery system is needed to protect mRNAs from nuclease degradation while also enhancing immunogenicity. The success of mRNA lipid nanoparticles in treating COVID-19, to a certain extent, marks a milestone for mRNA vaccines and also promotes further research on mRNA delivery systems. Here, we explore mRNA vaccine delivery systems, especially lipid nanoparticles (LNPs), considering the current research status, prospects, and challenges of lipid nanoparticles, and explore other mRNA delivery systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyu Zhang
- Research
Center for Infectious Diseases, Tianjin
University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 300193 Tianjin, China
- Institute
for Biological Product Control, National
Institutes for Food and Drug Control (NIFDC) and WHO Collaborating
Center for Standardization and Evaluation of Biologicals, No.31 Huatuo Street, Daxing District, 102629 Beijing, China
- College
of Life Science, Jilin University, 130012 Changchun, China
| | - Yuanfang Li
- Department
of Neurology, Zhongshan Hospital (Xiamen Branch), Fudan University, 361015 Xiamen, Fujian China
| | - Zehua Zhou
- Research
Center for Infectious Diseases, Tianjin
University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 300193 Tianjin, China
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66
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Igyártó BZ, Qin Z. The mRNA-LNP vaccines - the good, the bad and the ugly? Front Immunol 2024; 15:1336906. [PMID: 38390323 PMCID: PMC10883065 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1336906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
The mRNA-LNP vaccine has received much attention during the COVID-19 pandemic since it served as the basis of the most widely used SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in Western countries. Based on early clinical trial data, these vaccines were deemed safe and effective for all demographics. However, the latest data raise serious concerns about the safety and effectiveness of these vaccines. Here, we review some of the safety and efficacy concerns identified to date. We also discuss the potential mechanism of observed adverse events related to the use of these vaccines and whether they can be mitigated by alterations of this vaccine mechanism approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Botond Z. Igyártó
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
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67
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Han EL, Padilla MS, Palanki R, Kim D, Mrksich K, Li JJ, Tang S, Yoon IC, Mitchell MJ. Predictive High-Throughput Platform for Dual Screening of mRNA Lipid Nanoparticle Blood-Brain Barrier Transfection and Crossing. NANO LETTERS 2024; 24:1477-1486. [PMID: 38259198 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.3c03509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
Lipid nanoparticle (LNP)-mediated nucleic acid therapies, including mRNA protein replacement and gene editing therapies, hold great potential in treating neurological disorders including neurodegeneration, brain cancer, and stroke. However, delivering LNPs across the blood-brain barrier (BBB) after systemic administration remains underexplored. In this work, we engineered a high-throughput screening transwell platform for the BBB (HTS-BBB), specifically optimized for screening mRNA LNPs. Unlike most transwell assays, which only assess transport across an endothelial monolayer, HTS-BBB simultaneously measures LNP transport and mRNA transfection of the endothelial cells themselves. We then use HTS-BBB to screen a library of 14 LNPs made with structurally diverse ionizable lipids and demonstrate it is predictive of in vivo performance by validating lead candidates for mRNA delivery to the mouse brain after intravenous injection. Going forward, this platform could be used to screen large libraries of brain-targeted LNPs for a range of protein replacement and gene editing applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily L Han
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
| | - Marshall S Padilla
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
| | - Rohan Palanki
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
- Center for Fetal Research, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
| | - Dongyoon Kim
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
| | - Kaitlin Mrksich
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
| | - Jacqueline J Li
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
| | - Sophia Tang
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
| | - Il-Chul Yoon
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
| | - Michael J Mitchell
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
- Institute for Immunology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
- Cardiovascular Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
- Abramson Cancer Center, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
- Penn Institute for RNA Innovation, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
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68
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Tong X, Raffaele J, Feller K, Dornadula G, Devlin J, Boyd D, Loughney JW, Shanter J, Rustandi RR. Correlating Stability-Indicating Biochemical and Biophysical Characteristics with In Vitro Cell Potency in mRNA LNP Vaccine. Vaccines (Basel) 2024; 12:169. [PMID: 38400152 PMCID: PMC10893231 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines12020169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2024] [Revised: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
The development of mRNA vaccines has increased rapidly since the COVID-19 pandemic. As one of the critical attributes, understanding mRNA lipid nanoparticle (LNP) stability is critical in the vaccine product development. However, the correlation between LNPs' physiochemical characteristics and their potency still remains unclear. The lack of regulatory guidance on the specifications for mRNA LNPs is also partially due to this underexplored relationship. In this study, we performed a three-month stability study of heat-stressed mRNA LNP samples. The mRNA LNP samples were analyzed for their mRNA degradation, LNP particle sizes, and mRNA encapsulation efficiency. In vitro cell potency was also evaluated and correlated with these above-mentioned physiochemical characterizations. The mRNA degradation-cell potency correlation data showed two distinct regions, indicating a critical cut-off size limit for mRNA degradation. The same temperature dependence was also observed in the LNP size-cell potency correlation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Tong
- Analytical Research & Development, Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ 07065, USA (K.F.); (G.D.); (J.W.L.); (R.R.R.)
| | - Jessica Raffaele
- Analytical Research & Development, Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ 07065, USA (K.F.); (G.D.); (J.W.L.); (R.R.R.)
| | - Katrina Feller
- Analytical Research & Development, Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ 07065, USA (K.F.); (G.D.); (J.W.L.); (R.R.R.)
| | - Geethanjali Dornadula
- Analytical Research & Development, Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ 07065, USA (K.F.); (G.D.); (J.W.L.); (R.R.R.)
| | - James Devlin
- Analytical Research & Development, Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ 07065, USA (K.F.); (G.D.); (J.W.L.); (R.R.R.)
| | - David Boyd
- Process Research & Development, Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ 07065, USA; (D.B.); (J.S.)
| | - John W. Loughney
- Analytical Research & Development, Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ 07065, USA (K.F.); (G.D.); (J.W.L.); (R.R.R.)
| | - Jon Shanter
- Process Research & Development, Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ 07065, USA; (D.B.); (J.S.)
| | - Richard R. Rustandi
- Analytical Research & Development, Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ 07065, USA (K.F.); (G.D.); (J.W.L.); (R.R.R.)
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69
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Rano S, Bhaduri A, Singh M. Nanoparticle-based platforms for targeted drug delivery to the pulmonary system as therapeutics to curb cystic fibrosis: A review. J Microbiol Methods 2024; 217-218:106876. [PMID: 38135160 DOI: 10.1016/j.mimet.2023.106876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2021] [Revised: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 12/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023]
Abstract
Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a genetic disorder of the respiratory system caused by mutation of the Cystic Fibrosis Trans-Membrane Conductance Regulator (CFTR) gene that affects a huge number of people worldwide. It results in difficulty breathing due to a large accumulation of mucus in the respiratory tract, resulting in serious bacterial infections, and subsequent death. Traditional drug-based treatments face hindered penetration at the site of action due to the thick mucus layer. Nanotechnology offers possibilities for developing advanced and effective treatment platforms by focusing on drugs that can penetrate the dense mucus layer, fighting against the underlying bacterial infections, and targeting the genetic cause of the disease. In this review, current nanoparticle-mediated drug delivery platforms for CF, challenges in therapeutics, and future prospects have been highlighted. The effectiveness of the different types of nano-based systems conjugated with various drugs to combat the symptoms and the challenges of treating CF are brought into focus. The toxic effects of these nano-medicines and the various factors that are responsible for their effectiveness are also highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sujoy Rano
- Department of Biotechnology, Haldia Institute of Technology, HIT Campus, Purba Medinipur, Haldia 721657, West Bengal, India; In-vitro Biology, Aragen Life Sciences, Hyderabad 500076, Telangana, India
| | - Ahana Bhaduri
- Department of Biotechnology, Haldia Institute of Technology, HIT Campus, Purba Medinipur, Haldia 721657, West Bengal, India
| | - Mukesh Singh
- Department of Biotechnology, Haldia Institute of Technology, HIT Campus, Purba Medinipur, Haldia 721657, West Bengal, India; Department of Botany, Kabi Nazrul College, Murarai, Birbhum 731219 (West Bengal), India.
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70
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Lapuente D, Winkler TH, Tenbusch M. B-cell and antibody responses to SARS-CoV-2: infection, vaccination, and hybrid immunity. Cell Mol Immunol 2024; 21:144-158. [PMID: 37945737 PMCID: PMC10805925 DOI: 10.1038/s41423-023-01095-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in 2019 prompted scientific, medical, and biotech communities to investigate infection- and vaccine-induced immune responses in the context of this pathogen. B-cell and antibody responses are at the center of these investigations, as neutralizing antibodies (nAbs) are an important correlate of protection (COP) from infection and the primary target of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine modalities. In addition to absolute levels, nAb longevity, neutralization breadth, immunoglobulin isotype and subtype composition, and presence at mucosal sites have become important topics for scientists and health policy makers. The recent pandemic was and still is a unique setting in which to study de novo and memory B-cell (MBC) and antibody responses in the dynamic interplay of infection- and vaccine-induced immunity. It also provided an opportunity to explore new vaccine platforms, such as mRNA or adenoviral vector vaccines, in unprecedented cohort sizes. Combined with the technological advances of recent years, this situation has provided detailed mechanistic insights into the development of B-cell and antibody responses but also revealed some unexpected findings. In this review, we summarize the key findings of the last 2.5 years regarding infection- and vaccine-induced B-cell immunity, which we believe are of significant value not only in the context of SARS-CoV-2 but also for future vaccination approaches in endemic and pandemic settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dennis Lapuente
- Institut für klinische und molekulare Virologie, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen und Friedrich-Alexander-Universität (FAU) Erlangen-Nürnberg, Schlossgarten 4, 91054, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Thomas H Winkler
- Department of Biology, Division of Genetics, Nikolaus-Fiebiger-Center for Molecular Medicine, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany.
- Medical Immunology Campus Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität (FAU) Erlangen-Nürnberg, Schlossplatz 1, 91054, Erlangen, Germany.
| | - Matthias Tenbusch
- Institut für klinische und molekulare Virologie, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen und Friedrich-Alexander-Universität (FAU) Erlangen-Nürnberg, Schlossgarten 4, 91054, Erlangen, Germany
- Medical Immunology Campus Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität (FAU) Erlangen-Nürnberg, Schlossplatz 1, 91054, Erlangen, Germany
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71
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Ha Thi HT, Than VT. Recent applications of RNA therapeutic in clinics. PROGRESS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE 2024; 203:115-150. [PMID: 38359994 DOI: 10.1016/bs.pmbts.2023.12.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/17/2024]
Abstract
Ribonucleic acid (RNA) therapy has been extensively researched for several decades and has garnered significant attention in recent years owing to its potential in treating a broad spectrum of diseases. It falls under the domain of gene therapy, leveraging RNA molecules as a therapeutic approach in medicine. RNA can be targeted using small-molecule drugs, or RNA molecules themselves can serve as drugs by interacting with proteins or other RNA molecules. While several RNA drugs have been granted clinical approval, numerous RNA-based therapeutics are presently undergoing clinical investigation or testing for various conditions, including genetic disorders, viral infections, and diverse forms of cancer. These therapies offer several advantages, such as high specificity, enabling precise targeting of disease-related genes or proteins, cost-effectiveness, and a relatively straightforward manufacturing process. Nevertheless, successful translation of RNA therapies into widespread clinical use necessitates addressing challenges related to delivery, stability, and potential off-target effects. This chapter provides a comprehensive overview of the general concepts of various classes of RNA-based therapeutics, the mechanistic basis of their function, as well as recent applications of RNA therapeutic in clinics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huyen Trang Ha Thi
- Department of Integrative Biotechnology, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Republic of Korea.
| | - Van Thai Than
- Faculty of Applied Sciences, International School, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, Vietnam; Center for Biomedicine and Community Health, International School, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, Vietnam
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72
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Boretti A. mRNA vaccine boosters and impaired immune system response in immune compromised individuals: a narrative review. Clin Exp Med 2024; 24:23. [PMID: 38280109 PMCID: PMC10821957 DOI: 10.1007/s10238-023-01264-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/29/2024]
Abstract
Over the last 24 months, there has been growing evidence of a correlation between mRNA COVID-19 vaccine boosters and increased prevalence of COVID-19 infection and other pathologies. Recent works have added possible causation to correlation. mRNA vaccine boosters may impair immune system response in immune compromised individuals. Multiple doses of the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines may result in much higher levels of IgG 4 antibodies, or also impaired activation of CD4 + and CD8 + T cells. The opportunity for mRNA vaccine boosters to impair the immune system response needs careful consideration, as this impacts the cost-to-benefit ratio of the boosters' practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Boretti
- Melbourne Institute of Technology, The Argus, 288 La Trobe St, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia.
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73
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Unti MJ, Jaffrey SR. Highly efficient cellular expression of circular mRNA enables prolonged protein expression. Cell Chem Biol 2024; 31:163-176.e5. [PMID: 37883972 PMCID: PMC10841545 DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2023.09.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2023] [Revised: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023]
Abstract
A major problem with mRNA therapeutics is that mRNA is usually degraded within a few hours after entering the cytosol. New approaches for in vitro synthesis of circular mRNA have allowed increased levels and duration of protein synthesis from mRNA therapeutics due to the long half-life of circular mRNA. However, it remains difficult to genetically encode circular mRNAs in mammalian cells. Here, we describe the adaptation of the Tornado (Twister-optimized RNA for durable overexpression) system to achieve in-cell synthesis of circular mRNAs. We screen different promoters and internal ribosomal entry sites (IRESs) and identify combinations that result in high levels of circular mRNA and protein expression. We show that these circular mRNAs can be packaged into virus-like particles (VLPs), thus enabling prolonged protein expression. Overall, these data describe a platform for synthesis of circular mRNAs and how these circular mRNAs can improve VLP therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mildred J Unti
- Department of Pharmacology, Weill Cornell Medicine, Cornell University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Samie R Jaffrey
- Department of Pharmacology, Weill Cornell Medicine, Cornell University, New York, NY 10065, USA.
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74
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Ho M, Price HCW, Evans TS, O'Sullivan E. Dynamics of technology emergence in innovation networks. Sci Rep 2024; 14:1411. [PMID: 38228669 PMCID: PMC10791630 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-50280-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2024] Open
Abstract
To create the next innovative product, participants in science need to understand which existing technologies can be combined, what new science must be discovered, and what new technologies must be invented. Knowledge of these often arrives by means of expert consensus or popularity metrics, masking key information on how intellectual efforts accumulate into technological progress. To address this shortcoming, we first present a method to establish a mathematical link between technological evolution and complex networks: a path of events that narrates innovation bottlenecks. Next, we quantify the position and proximity of documents to these innovation paths. The result is an innovation network that more exhaustively captures deterministic knowledge flows with respect to a marketed innovative product. Our dataset, containing over three million biomedical citations, demonstrates the possibility of quantifying the accumulation, speed, and division of labour in innovation over a sixty-year time horizon. The significance of this study includes the (i) use of a purpose-generated dataset showing causal paths from research to development to product; (ii) analysis of the innovation process as a directed acyclic graph; (iii) comparison between calendar time and network time; (iv) ordering of science funders along technology lifecycles; (v) quantification of innovative activities' importance to an innovative outcome; and (vi) integration of publication, patent, clinical trial, regulatory data to study innovation holistically.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Ho
- Centre for Science Technology and Innovation Policy, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB3 0HU, UK.
- Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB3 0HU, UK.
| | - Henry C W Price
- Centre for Complexity Science, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
- Theoretical Physics Group, Department of Physics, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Tim S Evans
- Centre for Complexity Science, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
- Theoretical Physics Group, Department of Physics, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Eoin O'Sullivan
- Centre for Science Technology and Innovation Policy, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB3 0HU, UK
- Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB3 0HU, UK
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75
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Meulewaeter S, Zhang Y, Wadhwa A, Fox K, Lentacker I, Harder KW, Cullis PR, De Smedt SC, Cheng MHY, Verbeke R. Considerations on the Design of Lipid-based mRNA Vaccines Against Cancer. J Mol Biol 2024; 436:168385. [PMID: 38065276 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2023.168385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2023] [Revised: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 12/02/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023]
Abstract
Throughout the last decades, mRNA vaccines have been developed as a cancer immunotherapeutic and the technology recently gained momentum during the COVID-19 pandemic. Recent promising results obtained from clinical trials investigating lipid-based mRNA vaccines in cancer therapy further highlighted the potential of this therapy. Interestingly, while the technologies being used in authorized mRNA vaccines for the prevention of COVID-19 are relatively similar, mRNA vaccines in clinical development for cancer vaccination show marked differences in mRNA modification, lipid carrier, and administration route. In this review, we describe findings on how these factors can impact the potency of mRNA vaccines in cancer therapy and provide insights into the complex interplay between them. We discuss how lipid carrier composition can affect passive targeting to immune cells to improve the efficacy and safety of mRNA vaccines. Finally, we summarize strategies that are established or still being explored to improve the efficacy of mRNA cancer vaccines and include next-generation vaccines that are on the horizon in clinical development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofie Meulewaeter
- Laboratory of General Biochemistry and Physical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent 9000, Belgium; Cancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent University Hospital, Ghent University, Ghent 9000, Belgium
| | - Yao Zhang
- School of Biomedical Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z4, Canada; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Abishek Wadhwa
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Kevin Fox
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Ine Lentacker
- Laboratory of General Biochemistry and Physical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent 9000, Belgium; Cancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent University Hospital, Ghent University, Ghent 9000, Belgium
| | - Kenneth W Harder
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Pieter R Cullis
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Stefaan C De Smedt
- Laboratory of General Biochemistry and Physical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent 9000, Belgium; Cancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent University Hospital, Ghent University, Ghent 9000, Belgium
| | - Miffy H Y Cheng
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z4, Canada.
| | - Rein Verbeke
- Laboratory of General Biochemistry and Physical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent 9000, Belgium; Cancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent University Hospital, Ghent University, Ghent 9000, Belgium.
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76
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Xu J, Wang R, Luo W, Mao X, Gao H, Feng X, Chen G, Yang Z, Deng W, Nie Y. Oligodendrocyte progenitor cell-specific delivery of lipid nanoparticles loaded with Olig2 synthetically modified messenger RNA for ischemic stroke therapy. Acta Biomater 2024; 174:297-313. [PMID: 38096960 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2023.12.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2023] [Revised: 12/02/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
The transcription factor Olig2 is highly expressed throughout oligodendroglial development and is needed for the differentiation of oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) into oligodendrocytes and remyelination. Although Olig2 overexpression in OPCs is a possible therapeutic target for enhancing myelin repair in ischemic stroke, achieving Olig2 overexpression in vivo remains a formidable technological challenge. To address this challenge, we employed lipid nanoparticle (LNP)-mediated delivery of Olig2 synthetically modified messenger RNA (mRNA) as a viable method for in vivo Olih2 protein overexpression. Specifically, we developed CD140a-targeted LNPs loaded with Olig2 mRNA (C-Olig2) to achieve targeted Olig2 protein expression within PDGFRα+ OPCs, with the goal of promoting remyelination for ischemic stroke therapy. We show that C-Olig2 promotes the differentiation of PDGFRα+ OPCs derived from mouse neural stem cells into mature oligodendrocytes in vitro, suggesting that mRNA-mediated Olig2 overexpression is a rational approach to promote oligodendrocyte differentiation and remyelination. Furthermore, when C-Olig2 was administered to a murine model of ischemic stroke, it led to improvements in blood‒brain barrier (BBB) integrity, enhanced remyelination, and rescued learning and cognitive deficits. Our comprehensive analysis, which included bulk RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) and single-nucleus RNA-seq (snRNA-seq), revealed upregulated biological processes related to learning and memory in the brains of mice treated with C-Olig2 compared to those receiving empty LNPs (Mock). Collectively, our findings highlight the therapeutic potential of multifunctional nanomedicine targeting mRNA expression for ischemic stroke and suggest that this approach holds promise for addressing various brain diseases. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: While Olig2 overexpression in OPCs represents a promising therapeutic avenue for enhancing remyelination in ischemic stroke, in vivo strategies for achieving Olig2 expression pose considerable technological challenges. The delivery of mRNA via lipid nanoparticles is considered aa viable approach for in vivo protein expression. In this study, we engineered CD140a-targeted LNPs loaded with Olig2 mRNA (C-Olig2) with the aim of achieving specific Olig2 overexpression in mouse OPCs. Our findings demonstrate that C-Olig2 promotes the differentiation of OPCs into oligodendrocytes in vitro, providing evidence that mRNA-mediated Olig2 overexpression is a rational strategy to foster remyelination. Furthermore, the intravenous administration of C-Olig2 into a murine model of ischemic stroke not only improved blood-brain barrier integrity but also enhanced remyelination and mitigated learning and cognitive deficits. These results underscore the promising therapeutic potential of multifunctional nanomedicine targeting mRNA expression in the context of ischemic stroke.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Xu
- Stroke center, Key Laboratory of Biological Targeting Diagnosis, Therapy and Rehabilitation of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510799, China; Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen), Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, China.
| | - Rui Wang
- Stroke center, Key Laboratory of Biological Targeting Diagnosis, Therapy and Rehabilitation of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510799, China; Clinical Research Institute, the First People's Hospital of Foshan, Foshan 528000, China
| | - Wei Luo
- Clinical Research Institute, the First People's Hospital of Foshan, Foshan 528000, China
| | - Xiaofan Mao
- Clinical Research Institute, the First People's Hospital of Foshan, Foshan 528000, China
| | - Hong Gao
- Department of Geriatrics, Institute of Translational Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University Health Science Center, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, Shenzhen 518035, China
| | - Xinwei Feng
- Stroke center, Key Laboratory of Biological Targeting Diagnosis, Therapy and Rehabilitation of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510799, China
| | - Guoqiang Chen
- Department of General Medicine, the First People's Hospital of Foshan, Foshan 528000, China
| | - Zhihua Yang
- Stroke center, Key Laboratory of Biological Targeting Diagnosis, Therapy and Rehabilitation of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510799, China.
| | - Wenbin Deng
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen), Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, China.
| | - Yichu Nie
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen), Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, China; Clinical Research Institute, the First People's Hospital of Foshan, Foshan 528000, China.
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77
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Aung A, Irvine DJ. Modulating Antigen Availability in Lymphoid Organs to Shape the Humoral Immune Response to Vaccines. JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY (BALTIMORE, MD. : 1950) 2024; 212:171-178. [PMID: 38166252 PMCID: PMC10768795 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.2300500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/04/2024]
Abstract
Primary immune responses following vaccination are initiated in draining lymph nodes, where naive T and B cells encounter Ag and undergo coordinated steps of activation. For humoral immunity, the amount of Ag present over time, its localization to follicles and follicular dendritic cells, and the Ag's structural state all play important roles in determining the subsequent immune response. Recent studies have shown that multiple elements of vaccine design can impact Ag availability in lymphoid tissues, including the choice of adjuvant, physical form of the immunogen, and dosing kinetics. These vaccine design elements affect the transport of Ag to lymph nodes, Ag's localization in the tissue, the duration of Ag availability, and the structural integrity of the Ag. In this review, we discuss these findings and their implications for engineering more effective vaccines, particularly for difficult to neutralize pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aereas Aung
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Darrell J. Irvine
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Consortium for HIV/AIDS Vaccine Development, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Ragon Institute of Massachusetts General Hospital, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
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78
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Sattler A, Gamradt S, Proß V, Thole LML, He A, Schrezenmeier EV, Jechow K, Gold SM, Lukassen S, Conrad C, Kotsch K. CD3 downregulation identifies high-avidity, multipotent SARS-CoV-2 vaccine- and recall antigen-specific Th cells with distinct metabolism. JCI Insight 2024; 9:e166833. [PMID: 38206757 PMCID: PMC11143931 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.166833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 01/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Functional avidity is supposed to critically shape the quality of immune responses, thereby influencing host protection against infectious agents including SARS-CoV-2. Here we show that after human SARS-CoV-2 vaccination, a large portion of high-avidity spike-specific CD4+ T cells lost CD3 expression after in vitro activation. The CD3- subset was enriched for cytokine-positive cells, including elevated per-cell expression levels, and showed increased polyfunctionality. Assessment of key metabolic pathways by flow cytometry revealed that superior functionality was accompanied by a shift toward fatty acid synthesis at the expense of their oxidation, whereas glucose transport and glycolysis were similarly regulated in SARS-CoV-2-specific CD3- and CD3+ subsets. As opposed to their CD3+ counterparts, frequencies of vaccine-specific CD3- T cells positively correlated with both the size of the naive CD4+ T cell pool and vaccine-specific IgG levels. Moreover, their frequencies negatively correlated with advancing age and were impaired in patients under immunosuppressive therapy. Typical recall antigen-reactive T cells showed a comparable segregation into functionally and metabolically distinct CD3+ and CD3- subsets but were quantitatively maintained upon aging, likely due to earlier recruitment in life. In summary, our data identify CD3- T helper cells as correlates of high-quality immune responses that are impaired in at-risk populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arne Sattler
- Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Department for General and Visceral Surgery, Berlin, Germany
| | - Stefanie Gamradt
- Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences – Campus Benjamin Franklin, Berlin, Germany
- Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine – Campus Benjamin Franklin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Vanessa Proß
- Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Department for General and Visceral Surgery, Berlin, Germany
| | - Linda Marie Laura Thole
- Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Department for General and Visceral Surgery, Berlin, Germany
| | - An He
- Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Department for General and Visceral Surgery, Berlin, Germany
| | - Eva Vanessa Schrezenmeier
- Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Department of Nephrology and Medical Intensive Care, Berlin, Germany
| | - Katharina Jechow
- Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Center for Digital Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Stefan M. Gold
- Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences – Campus Benjamin Franklin, Berlin, Germany
- Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine – Campus Benjamin Franklin, Berlin, Germany
- Universitätsklinikum Hamburg Eppendorf, Institut für Neuroimmunologie und Multiple Sklerose, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Sören Lukassen
- Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Center for Digital Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Christian Conrad
- Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Center for Digital Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Katja Kotsch
- Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Department for General and Visceral Surgery, Berlin, Germany
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79
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Jarzebska NT, Frei J, Mellett M, Kündig TM, Pascolo S, Reichmuth AM. A Basic Method for Formulating mRNA-Lipid Nanoparticle Vaccines in the Lab. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2786:237-254. [PMID: 38814398 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3770-8_11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2024]
Abstract
During recent years, RNA therapeutics have begun to make a substantial impact in the clinic, with the approval of the siRNA-based therapeutic Patisiran in 2018, and of the two mRNA SARS-CoV-2 vaccines, BNT162b2 and mRNA-1273 in 2021. A key to the success of these therapeutics lies in the lipid-based delivery system. The therapeutic RNAs are encapsulated in lipid nanoparticles (LNPs), which protect against enzymatic degradation and efficiently deliver the RNA across the cell membrane into the cytosol. Thereby, the method used for LNP synthesis and its lipid composition are crucial aspects that decide the efficacy of the LNP-RNA hetero system. Here we provide a detailed guide for the simple preparation of LNP-encapsulated mRNA vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia T Jarzebska
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Zurich (USZ), University of Zurich (UZH), Zurich, Switzerland
- Faculty of Science, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Julia Frei
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Zurich (USZ), University of Zurich (UZH), Zurich, Switzerland
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Mark Mellett
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Zurich (USZ), University of Zurich (UZH), Zurich, Switzerland
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Thomas M Kündig
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Zurich (USZ), University of Zurich (UZH), Zurich, Switzerland
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Steve Pascolo
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Zurich (USZ), University of Zurich (UZH), Zurich, Switzerland.
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Andreas M Reichmuth
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Zurich (USZ), University of Zurich (UZH), Zurich, Switzerland.
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
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80
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Leng Q, He J, Anand A, Mixson AJ. Delivery of mRNA with Histidine-Lysine Peptides. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2822:367-386. [PMID: 38907929 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3918-4_23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/24/2024]
Abstract
Transfection with mRNA has been considered superior to that with plasmids since the mRNA can be translated to a protein in the cytosol without entering the nucleus. One disadvantage of using mRNA is its susceptibility to enzymatic biodegradability, and consequently, significant research has occurred to determine nonviral carriers that will sufficiently stabilize this nucleic acid for cellular transport. Histidine-lysine peptides (HK) are one such class of mRNA carriers, which we think serves as a model for other peptides and polymeric carrier systems. When the HK peptide and mRNA are mixed and interact through ionic and nonionic bonds, mRNA polyplexes are formed, which can transfect cells. In contrast to linear HK peptides, branched HK peptides protected and efficiently transfected mRNA into cells. After describing the preparation and biophysical characterization of these polyplexes, we will provide protocols for in vitro and in vivo transfection for these mRNA polyplexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qixin Leng
- Department of Pathology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jiaxi He
- Department of Pathology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Aishwarya Anand
- Department of Pathology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - A James Mixson
- Department of Pathology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
- Greenebaum Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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81
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Gu J, Xu Z, Liu Q, Tang S, Zhang W, Xie S, Chen X, Chen J, Yong KT, Yang C, Xu G. Building a Better Silver Bullet: Current Status and Perspectives of Non-Viral Vectors for mRNA Vaccines. Adv Healthc Mater 2024; 13:e2302409. [PMID: 37964681 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202302409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Revised: 10/22/2023] [Indexed: 11/16/2023]
Abstract
In recent years, messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines have exhibited great potential to replace conventional vaccines owing to their low risk of insertional mutagenesis, safety and efficacy, rapid and scalable production, and low-cost manufacturing. With the great achievements of chemical modification and sequence optimization methods of mRNA, the key to the success of mRNA vaccines is strictly dependent on safe and efficient gene vectors. Among various delivery platforms, non-viral mRNA vectors could represent perfect choices for future clinical translation regarding their safety, sufficient packaging capability, low immunogenicity, and versatility. In this review, the recent progress in the development of non-viral mRNA vectors is focused on. Various organic vectors including lipid nanoparticles (LNPs), polymers, peptides, and exosomes for efficient mRNA delivery are presented and summarized. Furthermore, the latest advances in clinical trials of mRNA vaccines are described. Finally, the current challenges and future possibilities for the clinical translation of these promising mRNA vectors are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiayu Gu
- Department of Pharmacy, Shenzhen People's Hospital (The Second Clinical Medical College, Jinan, University, The First Affiliated Hospital, Southern University of Science and Technology), Shenzhen, 518020, China
- Guangdong Key Laboratory for Biomedical Measurements and Ultrasound Imaging, School of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen, 518060, China
| | - Zhourui Xu
- Guangdong Key Laboratory for Biomedical Measurements and Ultrasound Imaging, School of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen, 518060, China
| | - Qiqi Liu
- Guangdong Key Laboratory for Biomedical Measurements and Ultrasound Imaging, School of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen, 518060, China
- Maternal-Fetal Medicine Institute, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Shenzhen Baoan Women's and Children's Hospital, Shenzhen, 518102, China
| | - Shiqi Tang
- Guangdong Key Laboratory for Biomedical Measurements and Ultrasound Imaging, School of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen, 518060, China
| | - Wenguang Zhang
- Guangdong Key Laboratory for Biomedical Measurements and Ultrasound Imaging, School of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen, 518060, China
| | - Shouxia Xie
- Department of Pharmacy, Shenzhen People's Hospital (The Second Clinical Medical College, Jinan, University, The First Affiliated Hospital, Southern University of Science and Technology), Shenzhen, 518020, China
- Shenzhen Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, Shenzhen People's Hospital, Shenzhen, 518020, China
| | - Xiaoyan Chen
- Maternal-Fetal Medicine Institute, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Shenzhen Baoan Women's and Children's Hospital, Shenzhen, 518102, China
| | - Jiajie Chen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen, 518060, China
| | - Ken-Tye Yong
- School of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, 2006, Australia
| | - Chengbin Yang
- Guangdong Key Laboratory for Biomedical Measurements and Ultrasound Imaging, School of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen, 518060, China
| | - Gaixia Xu
- Guangdong Key Laboratory for Biomedical Measurements and Ultrasound Imaging, School of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen, 518060, China
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82
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Sun B, Li M, Yao Z, Yu G, Ma Y. Advances in Vaccine Adjuvants: Nanomaterials and Small Molecules. Handb Exp Pharmacol 2024; 284:113-132. [PMID: 37059911 DOI: 10.1007/164_2023_652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/16/2023]
Abstract
Adjuvants have been extensively and essentially formulated in subunits and certain inactivated vaccines for enhancing and prolonging protective immunity against infections and diseases. According to the types of infectious diseases and the required immunity, adjuvants with various acting mechanisms have been designed and applied in human vaccines. In this chapter, we introduce the advances in vaccine adjuvants based on nanomaterials and small molecules. By reviewing the immune mechanisms induced by adjuvants with different characteristics, we aim to establish structure-activity relationships between the physicochemical properties of adjuvants and their immunostimulating capability for the development of adjuvants for more effective preventative and therapeutic vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bingbing Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, School of Chemical Engineering and Frontiers Science Center for Smart Materials Oriented Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, China.
| | - Min Li
- State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, School of Chemical Engineering and Frontiers Science Center for Smart Materials Oriented Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, China
| | - Zhiying Yao
- State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, School of Chemical Engineering and Frontiers Science Center for Smart Materials Oriented Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, China
| | - Ge Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, School of Chemical Engineering and Frontiers Science Center for Smart Materials Oriented Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, China
| | - Yubin Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, School of Chemical Engineering and Frontiers Science Center for Smart Materials Oriented Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, China
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83
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Kramps T. Introduction to RNA Vaccines Post COVID-19. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2786:1-22. [PMID: 38814388 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3770-8_1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2024]
Abstract
Available prophylactic vaccines help prevent many infectious diseases that burden humanity. Future vaccinology will likely extend these benefits by more effectively countering newly emerging pathogens, fighting currently intractable infections, or even generating novel treatment modalities for non-infectious diseases. Instead of applying protein antigen directly, RNA vaccines contain short-lived genetic information that guides the expression of protein antigen in the vaccinee, like infection with a recombinant viral vector. Upon decades of research, messenger RNA-lipid nanoparticle (mRNA-LNP) vaccines have proven clinical value in addressing the COVID-19 pandemic as they combine benefits of killed subunit vaccines and live-attenuated vectors, including flexible production, self-adjuvanting effects, and stimulation of humoral and cellular immunity. RNA vaccines remain subject to continued development raising high hopes for broader future application. Their mechanistic versatility promises to make them a key tool of vaccinology and immunotherapy going forward. Here, I briefly review key developments in RNA vaccines and outline the contents of this volume of Methods in Molecular Biology.
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84
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Saravanan V, Chagaleti BK, Narayanan PL, Anandan VB, Manoharan H, Anjana GV, Peraman R, Namasivayam SKR, Kavisri M, Arockiaraj J, Muthu Kumaradoss K, Moovendhan M. Discovery and development of COVID-19 vaccine from laboratory to clinic. Chem Biol Drug Des 2024; 103:e14383. [PMID: 37953736 DOI: 10.1111/cbdd.14383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Revised: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023]
Abstract
The world has recently experienced one of the biggest and most severe public health disasters with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). SARS-CoV-2 is responsible for the coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) which is one of the most widespread and powerful infections affecting human lungs. Current figures show that the epidemic had reached 216 nations, where it had killed about 6,438,926 individuals and infected 590,405,710. WHO proclaimed the outbreak of the Ebola virus disease (EVD), in 2014 that killed hundreds of people in West Africa. The development of vaccines for SARS-CoV-2 becomes more difficult due to the viral mutation in its non-structural proteins (NSPs) especially NSP2 and NSP3, S protein, and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp). Continuous monitoring of SARS-CoV-2, dynamics of the genomic sequence, and spike protein mutations are very important for the successful development of vaccines with good efficacy. Hence, the vaccine development for SARS-CoV-2 faces specific challenges starting from viral mutation. The requirement of long-term immunity development, safety, efficacy, stability, vaccine allocation, distribution, and finally, its cost is discussed in detail. Currently, 169 vaccines are in the clinical development stage, while 198 vaccines are in the preclinical development stage. The majority of these vaccines belong to the Ps-Protein subunit type which has 54, and the minor BacAg-SPV (Bacterial antigen-spore expression vector) type, at least 1 vaccination. The use of computational methods and models for vaccine development has revolutionized the traditional methods of vaccine development. Further, this updated review highlights the upcoming vaccine development strategies in response to the current pandemic and post-pandemic era, in the field of vaccine development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Venkatesan Saravanan
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, SRM College of Pharmacy, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Chengalpattu District, India
| | - Bharath Kumar Chagaleti
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, SRM College of Pharmacy, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Chengalpattu District, India
| | - Pavithra Lakshmi Narayanan
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, SRM College of Pharmacy, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Chengalpattu District, India
| | - Vijay Babu Anandan
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, SRM College of Pharmacy, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Chengalpattu District, India
| | - Haritha Manoharan
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, SRM College of Pharmacy, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Chengalpattu District, India
| | - G V Anjana
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, SRM College of Pharmacy, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Chengalpattu District, India
| | - Ramalingam Peraman
- Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER) Hajipur, Hajipur, India
| | - S Karthik Raja Namasivayam
- Department of Research & Innovation, Saveetha School of Engineering, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Chennai, India
| | - M Kavisri
- Department of Civil Engineering, Saveetha School of Engineering, SIMATS Deemed University, Chennai, India
| | - Jesu Arockiaraj
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Science and Humanities, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Chengalpattu District, India
| | - Kathiravan Muthu Kumaradoss
- Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Research Lab, SRM College of Pharmacy, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Chengalpattu District, India
| | - Meivelu Moovendhan
- Centre for Ocean Research, Col. Dr. Jeppiar Research Park, Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, India
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85
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Vadovics M, Muramatsu H, Sárközy A, Pardi N. Production and Evaluation of Nucleoside-Modified mRNA Vaccines for Infectious Diseases. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2786:167-181. [PMID: 38814394 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3770-8_7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2024]
Abstract
Lipid nanoparticle (LNP)-encapsulated nucleoside-modified mRNA vaccines have demonstrated potency in multiple preclinical models against various pathogens and have recently received considerable attention due to the success of the two safe and effective COVID-19 mRNA vaccines developed by Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech. The use of nucleoside modification in mRNA vaccines seems to be critical to achieve a sufficient level of safety and immunogenicity in humans, as illustrated by the results of clinical trials using either nucleoside-modified or unmodified mRNA-based vaccine platforms. It is well documented that the incorporation of modified nucleosides in the mRNA and stringent mRNA purification after in vitro transcription render it less inflammatory and highly translatable; these two features are likely key for mRNA vaccine safety and potency. Formulation of the mRNA into LNPs is important because LNPs protect mRNA from rapid degradation, enabling efficient delivery and high levels of protein production for extended periods of time. Additionally, recent studies have provided evidence that certain LNPs with ionizable cationic lipids (iLNPs) possess adjuvant activity that fosters the induction of strong humoral and cellular immune responses by mRNA-iLNP vaccines.In this chapter we describe the production of iLNP-encapsulated, nucleoside-modified, and purified mRNA and the evaluation of antigen-specific T cell and antibody responses elicited by this vaccine form.
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Affiliation(s)
- Máté Vadovics
- Department of Microbiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Hiromi Muramatsu
- Department of Microbiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - András Sárközy
- Department of Microbiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Norbert Pardi
- Department of Microbiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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86
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Patel SK, Billingsley MM, Mukalel AJ, Thatte AS, Hamilton AG, Gong N, El-Mayta R, Safford HC, Merolle M, Mitchell MJ. Bile acid-containing lipid nanoparticles enhance extrahepatic mRNA delivery. Theranostics 2024; 14:1-16. [PMID: 38164140 PMCID: PMC10750194 DOI: 10.7150/thno.89913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) have emerged as a viable, clinically-validated platform for the delivery of mRNA therapeutics. LNPs have been utilized as mRNA delivery systems for applications including vaccines, gene therapy, and cancer immunotherapy. However, LNPs, which are typically composed of ionizable lipids, cholesterol, helper lipids, and lipid-anchored polyethylene glycol, often traffic to the liver which limits the therapeutic potential of the platform. Several approaches have been proposed to resolve this tropism such as post-synthesis surface modification or the addition of synthetic cationic lipids. Methods: Here, we present a strategy for achieving extrahepatic delivery of mRNA involving the incorporation of bile acids, a naturally-occurring class of cholesterol analogs, during LNP synthesis. We synthesized a series of bile acid-containing C14-4 LNPs by replacing cholesterol with bile acids (cholic acid, chenodeoxycholic acid, deoxycholic acid, or lithocholic acid) at various ratios. Results: Bile acid-containing LNPs (BA-LNPs) were able to reduce delivery to liver cells in vitro and improve delivery in a variety of other cell types, including T cells, B cells, and epithelial cells. Our subsequent in vivo screening of selected LNP candidates injected intraperitoneally or intravenously identified a highly spleen tropic BA-LNP: CA-100, a four-component LNP containing cholic acid and no cholesterol. These screens also identified BA-LNP candidates demonstrating promise for other mRNA therapeutic applications such as for gastrointestinal or immune cell delivery. We further found that the substitution of cholic acid for cholesterol in an LNP formulation utilizing a different ionizable lipid, C12-200, also shifted mRNA delivery from the liver to the spleen, suggesting that this cholic acid replacement strategy may be generalizable. Conclusion: These results demonstrate the potential of a four-component BA-LNP formulation, CA-100, for extrahepatic mRNA delivery that could potentially be utilized for a range of therapeutic and vaccine applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Savan K. Patel
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | | | - Alvin J. Mukalel
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Ajay S. Thatte
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Alex G. Hamilton
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Ningqiang Gong
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Rakan El-Mayta
- Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Hannah C. Safford
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Maria Merolle
- Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Michael J. Mitchell
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Abramson Cancer Center, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Institute for Immunology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Cardiovascular Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Penn Institute for RNA Innovation, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
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87
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Schäfer-Korting M. Looking to the Future: Drug Delivery and Targeting in the Prophylaxis and Therapy of Severe and Chronic Diseases. Handb Exp Pharmacol 2024; 284:389-411. [PMID: 37861719 DOI: 10.1007/164_2023_696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2023]
Abstract
High molecular weight actives and cell-based therapy have the potential to revolutionize the prophylaxis and therapy of severe diseases. Yet, the size and nature of the agents - proteins, nucleic acids, cells - challenge drug delivery and thus formulation development. Moreover, off-target effects may result in severe adverse drug reactions. This makes delivery and targeting an essential component of high-end drug development. Loading to nanoparticles facilitates delivery and enables targeted mRNA vaccines and tumor therapeutics. Stem cell therapy opens up a new horizon in diabetes type 1 among other domains which may enhance the quality of life and life expectancy. Cell encapsulation protects transplants against the recipient's immune system, may ensure long-term efficacy, avoid severe adverse reactions, and simplify the management of rare and fatal diseases.The knowledge gained so far encourages to widen the spectrum of potential indications. Co-development of the active agent and the vehicle has the potential to accelerate drug research. One recommended starting point is the use of computational approaches. Transferability of preclinical data to humans will benefit from performing studies first on validated human 3D disease models reflecting the target tissue, followed by studies on validated animal models. This makes approaching a new level in drug development a multidisciplinary but ultimately worthwhile and attainable challenge. Intense monitoring of the patients after drug approval and periodic reporting to physicians and scientists remain essential for the safe use of drugs especially in rare diseases and pave future research.
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88
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Kola NS, Patel D, Thakur A. RNA-Based Vaccines and Therapeutics Against Intracellular Pathogens. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2813:321-370. [PMID: 38888787 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3890-3_21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/20/2024]
Abstract
RNA-based vaccines have sparked a paradigm shift in the treatment and prevention of diseases by nucleic acid medicines. There has been a notable surge in the development of nucleic acid therapeutics and vaccines following the global approval of the two messenger RNA-based COVID-19 vaccines. This growth is fueled by the exploration of numerous RNA products in preclinical stages, offering several advantages over conventional methods, i.e., safety, efficacy, scalability, and cost-effectiveness. In this chapter, we provide an overview of various types of RNA and their mechanisms of action for stimulating immune responses and inducing therapeutic effects. Furthermore, this chapter delves into the varying delivery systems, particularly emphasizing the use of nanoparticles to deliver RNA. The choice of delivery system is an intricate process involved in developing nucleic acid medicines that significantly enhances their stability, biocompatibility, and site-specificity. Additionally, this chapter sheds light on the current landscape of clinical trials of RNA therapeutics and vaccines against intracellular pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naga Suresh Kola
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - Dhruv Patel
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - Aneesh Thakur
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada.
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89
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Pateev I, Seregina K, Ivanov R, Reshetnikov V. Biodistribution of RNA Vaccines and of Their Products: Evidence from Human and Animal Studies. Biomedicines 2023; 12:59. [PMID: 38255166 PMCID: PMC10812935 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines12010059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2023] [Revised: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Explosive developments in mRNA vaccine technology in the last decade have made it possible to achieve great success in clinical trials of mRNA vaccines to prevent infectious diseases and develop cancer treatments and mRNA-based gene therapy products. The approval of the mRNA-1273 and BNT162b2 mRNA vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has led to mass vaccination (with mRNA vaccines) of several hundred million people around the world, including children. Despite its effectiveness in the fight against COVID-19, rare adverse effects of the vaccination have been shown in some studies, including vascular microcirculation disorders and autoimmune and allergic reactions. The biodistribution of mRNA vaccines remains one of the most poorly investigated topics. This mini-review discussed the results of recent experimental studies on humans and rodents regarding the biodistribution of mRNA vaccines, their constituents (mRNA and lipid nanoparticles), and their encoded antigens. We focused on the dynamics of the biodistribution of mRNA vaccine products and on the possibility of crossing the blood-brain and blood-placental barriers as well as transmission to infants through breast milk. In addition, we critically assessed the strengths and weaknesses of the detection methods that have been applied in these articles, whose results' reliability is becoming a subject of debate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ildus Pateev
- Translational Medicine Research Center, Sirius University of Science and Technology, 354340 Sochi, Russia
| | - Kristina Seregina
- Translational Medicine Research Center, Sirius University of Science and Technology, 354340 Sochi, Russia
| | - Roman Ivanov
- Translational Medicine Research Center, Sirius University of Science and Technology, 354340 Sochi, Russia
| | - Vasiliy Reshetnikov
- Translational Medicine Research Center, Sirius University of Science and Technology, 354340 Sochi, Russia
- Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia
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90
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Chaudhary N, Newby AN, Whitehead KA. Non-Viral RNA Delivery During Pregnancy: Opportunities and Challenges. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2023:e2306134. [PMID: 38145340 PMCID: PMC11196389 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202306134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Revised: 11/25/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023]
Abstract
During pregnancy, the risk of maternal and fetal adversities increases due to physiological changes, genetic predispositions, environmental factors, and infections. Unfortunately, treatment options are severely limited because many essential interventions are unsafe, inaccessible, or lacking in sufficient scientific data to support their use. One potential solution to this challenge may lie in emerging RNA therapeutics for gene therapy, protein replacement, maternal vaccination, fetal gene editing, and other prenatal treatment applications. In this review, the current landscape of RNA platforms and non-viral RNA delivery technologies that are under active development for administration during pregnancy is explored. Advancements of pregnancy-specific RNA drugs against SARS-CoV-2, Zika, influenza, preeclampsia, and for in-utero gene editing are discussed. Finally, this study highlights bottlenecks that are impeding translation efforts of RNA therapies, including the lack of accurate cell-based and animal models of human pregnancy and concerns related to toxicity and immunogenicity during pregnancy. Overcoming these challenges will facilitate the rapid development of this new class of pregnancy-safe drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Namit Chaudhary
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213
| | - Alexandra N. Newby
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213
| | - Kathryn A. Whitehead
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213
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91
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Tuma J, Chen YJ, Collins MG, Paul A, Li J, Han H, Sharma R, Murthy N, Lee HY. Lipid Nanoparticles Deliver mRNA to the Brain after an Intracerebral Injection. Biochemistry 2023; 62:3533-3547. [PMID: 37729550 PMCID: PMC10760911 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.3c00371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/22/2023]
Abstract
Neurological disorders are often debilitating conditions with no cure. The majority of current therapies are palliative rather than disease-modifying; therefore, new strategies for treating neurological disorders are greatly needed. mRNA-based therapeutics have great potential for treating such neurological disorders; however, challenges with delivery have limited their clinical potential. Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) are a promising delivery vector for the brain, given their safer toxicity profile and higher efficacy. Despite this, very little is known about LNP-mediated delivery of mRNA into the brain. Here, we employ MC3-based LNPs and successfully deliver Cre mRNA and Cas9 mRNA/Ai9 sgRNA to the adult Ai9 mouse brain; greater than half of the entire striatum and hippocampus was found to be penetrated along the rostro-caudal axis by direct intracerebral injections of MC3 LNP mRNAs. MC3 LNP Cre mRNA successfully transfected cells in the striatum (∼52% efficiency) and hippocampus (∼49% efficiency). In addition, we demonstrate that MC3 LNP Cas9 mRNA/Ai9 sgRNA edited cells in the striatum (∼7% efficiency) and hippocampus (∼3% efficiency). Further analysis demonstrates that MC3 LNPs mediate mRNA delivery to multiple cell types including neurons, astrocytes, and microglia in the brain. Overall, LNP-based mRNA delivery is effective in brain tissue and shows great promise for treating complex neurological disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Tuma
- The Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, TX 78229, USA
- Department of Pathophysiology, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University, alej Svobody 75, 323 00 Plzen, Czech Republic
| | - Yu-Ju Chen
- The Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, TX 78229, USA
| | - Michael G. Collins
- The Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, TX 78229, USA
| | - Abhik Paul
- The Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, TX 78229, USA
| | - Jie Li
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley, California, CA 94720, USA
- The Innovative Genomics Institute, 2151 Berkeley Way, Berkeley, California, CA 94704, USA
| | - Hesong Han
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley, California, CA 94720, USA
- The Innovative Genomics Institute, 2151 Berkeley Way, Berkeley, California, CA 94704, USA
| | - Rohit Sharma
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley, California, CA 94720, USA
- The Innovative Genomics Institute, 2151 Berkeley Way, Berkeley, California, CA 94704, USA
| | - Niren Murthy
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley, California, CA 94720, USA
- The Innovative Genomics Institute, 2151 Berkeley Way, Berkeley, California, CA 94704, USA
| | - Hye Young Lee
- The Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, TX 78229, USA
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92
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Chen J, Pan L, Lu Y, Zhang T, Xu D, Yan S, Ouyang Z. Evolution of global scientific collaboration in mRNA vaccine research: Insights from bibliometric and social network analysis (2010~2023). Hum Vaccin Immunother 2023; 19:2276624. [PMID: 37964602 PMCID: PMC10653775 DOI: 10.1080/21645515.2023.2276624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The field of mRNA vaccines has witnessed rapid development in recent years, leading to significant changes in global scientific collaboration. In this study, a bibliometric and social network analysis was conducted to reveal the evolution of global scientific collaboration in mRNA vaccine research. Altogether 6974 articles published since 2010 were retrieved and categorized into Period 1 (2010-2019), Period 2 (2020-2021) and Period 3 (2022-2023). During Period 2 and 3, there was a significant rise in the proportion of publications involving domestic inter-institutional cooperation (42.0%, 54.0% and 59.1%, respectively in Period 1, 2, and 3), while a significant decrease in international cooperation (32.1%, 23.7% and 21.0%). More countries participated in international collaboration during Period 2 and 3, with the US, the UK and Germany remaining top three throughout all periods, while some other countries like Italy, Japan, and China experiencing significant shifts. Significant correlations between collaboration type and publication impact and between geographical distance and collaborative publication counts were detected. Furthermore, significant changes in research focuses and institutions that are major contributors in the mRNA vaccine development have been observed. In conclusion, the mRNA vaccine field has experienced rapid development over the past decade, with significant evolutions of global scientific collaboration detected in our study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Chen
- Institute of Medical Information/Medical Library, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Lizi Pan
- Institute of Medical Information/Medical Library, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Yan Lu
- Institute of Medical Information/Medical Library, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Ting Zhang
- Institute of Medical Information/Medical Library, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Dongzi Xu
- Institute of Medical Information/Medical Library, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Shu Yan
- Institute of Medical Information/Medical Library, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Zhaolian Ouyang
- Institute of Medical Information/Medical Library, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
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93
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Proß V, Sattler A, Lukassen S, Tóth L, Thole LML, Siegle J, Stahl C, He A, Damm G, Seehofer D, Götz C, Bayerl C, Jäger P, Macke A, Eggeling S, Kirzinger B, Mayr T, Herbst H, Beyer K, Laue D, Krönke J, Braune J, Rosseck F, Kittner B, Friedersdorff F, Hubatsch M, Weinberger S, Lachmann N, Hofmann VM, Schrezenmeier E, Ludwig C, Schrezenmeier H, Jechow K, Conrad C, Kotsch K. SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccination-induced immunological memory in human nonlymphoid and lymphoid tissues. J Clin Invest 2023; 133:e171797. [PMID: 37815874 PMCID: PMC10721158 DOI: 10.1172/jci171797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Tissue-resident lymphocytes provide organ-adapted protection against invading pathogens. Whereas their biology has been examined in great detail in various infection models, their generation and functionality in response to vaccination have not been comprehensively analyzed in humans. We therefore studied SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccine-specific T cells in surgery specimens of kidney, liver, lung, bone marrow, and spleen compared with paired blood samples from largely virus-naive individuals. As opposed to lymphoid tissues, nonlymphoid organs harbored significantly elevated frequencies of spike-specific CD4+ T cells compared with blood showing hallmarks of tissue residency and an expanded memory pool. Organ-derived CD4+ T cells further exhibited increased polyfunctionality over those detected in blood. Single-cell RNA-Seq together with T cell receptor repertoire analysis indicated that the clonotype rather than organ origin is a major determinant of transcriptomic state in vaccine-specific CD4+ T cells. In summary, our data demonstrate that SARS-CoV-2 vaccination entails acquisition of tissue memory and residency features in organs distant from the inoculation site, thereby contributing to our understanding of how local tissue protection might be accomplished.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa Proß
- Department of General and Visceral Surgery, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Arne Sattler
- Department of General and Visceral Surgery, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Sören Lukassen
- Center of Digital Health, Berlin Institute of Health and Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Laura Tóth
- Department of General and Visceral Surgery, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Linda Marie Laura Thole
- Department of General and Visceral Surgery, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Janine Siegle
- Department of General and Visceral Surgery, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Carolin Stahl
- Department of General and Visceral Surgery, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - An He
- Department of General and Visceral Surgery, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Georg Damm
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery and Visceral Transplantation, University Hospital, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Daniel Seehofer
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery and Visceral Transplantation, University Hospital, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Christina Götz
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery and Visceral Transplantation, University Hospital, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Christian Bayerl
- Department of Radiology, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Pia Jäger
- Department of General and Visceral Surgery, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | | | | | | | | | - Hermann Herbst
- Department of Pathology, Vivantes Klinikum Neukölln, Berlin, Germany
| | - Katharina Beyer
- Department of General and Visceral Surgery, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Dominik Laue
- Department of Traumatology and Reconstructive Surgery, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jan Krönke
- Department of Hematology, Oncology and Cancer Immunology, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jan Braune
- Department of Hematology, Oncology and Cancer Immunology, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Friederike Rosseck
- Institute of Pathology, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Beatrice Kittner
- Department of Urology, Evangelisches Krankenhaus Königin Elisabeth Herzberge, Berlin, Germany
| | - Frank Friedersdorff
- Department of Urology, Evangelisches Krankenhaus Königin Elisabeth Herzberge, Berlin, Germany
| | - Mandy Hubatsch
- Department of Urology, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Sarah Weinberger
- Department of Urology, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Nils Lachmann
- Institute of Transfusion Medicine, Berlin Institute of Health, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Veit Maria Hofmann
- Department of Otolaryngology, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Eva Schrezenmeier
- Department of Nephrology and Medical Intensive Care, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- BIH Charité Clinician Scientist Program, BIH Biomedical Innovation Academy, Berlin Institute of Health at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Carolin Ludwig
- Institute for Clinical Transfusion Medicine and Immunogenetics, German Red Cross Blood Transfusion Service Baden-Württemberg-Hessen and University Hospital Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Hubert Schrezenmeier
- Institute for Clinical Transfusion Medicine and Immunogenetics, German Red Cross Blood Transfusion Service Baden-Württemberg-Hessen and University Hospital Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Katharina Jechow
- Center of Digital Health, Berlin Institute of Health and Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Christian Conrad
- Center of Digital Health, Berlin Institute of Health and Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Katja Kotsch
- Department of General and Visceral Surgery, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
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94
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Kunkeaw N, Nguitragool W, Takashima E, Kangwanrangsan N, Muramatsu H, Tachibana M, Ishino T, Lin PJC, Tam YK, Pichyangkul S, Tsuboi T, Pardi N, Sattabongkot J. A Pvs25 mRNA vaccine induces complete and durable transmission-blocking immunity to Plasmodium vivax. NPJ Vaccines 2023; 8:187. [PMID: 38092803 PMCID: PMC10719277 DOI: 10.1038/s41541-023-00786-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Plasmodium vivax (P. vivax) is the major malaria parasite outside of Africa and no vaccine is available against it. A vaccine that interrupts parasite transmission (transmission-blocking vaccine, TBV) is considered highly desirable to reduce the spread of P. vivax and to accelerate its elimination. However, the development of a TBV against this pathogen has been hampered by the inability to culture the parasite as well as the low immunogenicity of the vaccines developed to date. Pvs25 is the most advanced TBV antigen candidate for P. vivax. However, in previous phase I clinical trials, TBV vaccines based on Pvs25 yielded low antibody responses or had unacceptable safety profiles. As the nucleoside-modified mRNA-lipid nanoparticle (mRNA-LNP) vaccine platform proved to be safe and effective in humans, we generated and tested mRNA-LNP vaccines encoding several versions of Pvs25 in mice. We found that in a prime-boost vaccination schedule, all Pvs25 mRNA-LNP vaccines elicited robust antigen-specific antibody responses. Furthermore, when compared with a Pvs25 recombinant protein vaccine formulated with Montanide ISA-51 adjuvant, the full-length Pvs25 mRNA-LNP vaccine induced a stronger and longer-lasting functional immunity. Seven months after the second vaccination, vaccine-induced antibodies retained the ability to fully block P. vivax transmission in direct membrane feeding assays, whereas the blocking activity induced by the protein/ISA-51 vaccine dropped significantly. Taken together, we report on mRNA vaccines targeting P. vivax and demonstrate that Pvs25 mRNA-LNP outperformed an adjuvanted Pvs25 protein vaccine suggesting that it is a promising candidate for further testing in non-human primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nawapol Kunkeaw
- Mahidol Vivax Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Wang Nguitragool
- Mahidol Vivax Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Department of Molecular Tropical Medicine and Genetics, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Eizo Takashima
- Division of Malaria Research, Proteo-Science Center, Ehime University, Matsuyama, Japan
| | - Niwat Kangwanrangsan
- Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Hiromi Muramatsu
- Department of Microbiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Mayumi Tachibana
- Division of Molecular Parasitology, Proteo-Science Center, Ehime University, Toon, Japan
| | - Tomoko Ishino
- Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Paulo J C Lin
- Acuitas Therapeutics, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Ying K Tam
- Acuitas Therapeutics, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Sathit Pichyangkul
- Mahidol Vivax Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Takafumi Tsuboi
- Division of Malaria Research, Proteo-Science Center, Ehime University, Matsuyama, Japan
| | - Norbert Pardi
- Department of Microbiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
| | - Jetsumon Sattabongkot
- Mahidol Vivax Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.
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95
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Han JP, Lee Y, Lee JH, Chung HY, Lee GS, Nam YR, Choi M, Moon KS, Lee H, Lee H, Yeom SC. In vivo genome editing using 244- cis LNPs and low-dose AAV achieves therapeutic threshold in hemophilia A mice. MOLECULAR THERAPY. NUCLEIC ACIDS 2023; 34:102050. [PMID: 37916225 PMCID: PMC10616378 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2023.102050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023]
Abstract
Gene therapy and rebalancing therapy have emerged as promising approaches for treating hemophilia A, but there are limitations, such as temporary efficacy due to individual differences. Genome editing for hemophilia has shown long-term therapeutic potential in preclinical trials. However, a cautious approach is necessary because genome editing is irreversible. Therefore, we attempted to induce low-level human factor 8 (hF8) gene knockin (KI) using 244-cis lipid nanoparticles and low-dose adeno-associated virus to minimize side effects and achieve a therapeutic threshold in hemophilia A mice. We selected the serpin family C member 1, SerpinC1, locus as a target to enable a combined rebalancing strategy with hF8 KI to augment efficacy. This strategy improved blood coagulation activity and reduced hemophilic complications without adverse effects. Furthermore, hemophilic mice with genome editing exhibit enhanced survival for 40 weeks. Here, we demonstrate an effective, safe, and sustainable treatment for hemophilia A. This study provides valuable information to establish safe and long-term genome-editing-mediated treatment strategies for treating hemophilia and other protein-deficient genetic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeong Pil Han
- Graduate School of International Agricultural Technology and Institute of Green BioScience and Technology, Seoul National University, Pyeongchang, Gangwon 25354, Korea
| | - Yeji Lee
- College of Pharmacy, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ewha Womans University, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 03760, Korea
| | - Jeong Hyeon Lee
- Graduate School of International Agricultural Technology and Institute of Green BioScience and Technology, Seoul National University, Pyeongchang, Gangwon 25354, Korea
| | - Hye Yoon Chung
- Graduate School of International Agricultural Technology and Institute of Green BioScience and Technology, Seoul National University, Pyeongchang, Gangwon 25354, Korea
| | - Geon Seong Lee
- Graduate School of International Agricultural Technology and Institute of Green BioScience and Technology, Seoul National University, Pyeongchang, Gangwon 25354, Korea
| | - Yu Ri Nam
- Deartment of Chemistry, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34141, Korea
| | - Myeongjin Choi
- Department of Advanced Toxicology Research, Korea Institute of Toxicology, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34114, Korea
| | - Kyoung-Sik Moon
- Department of Advanced Toxicology Research, Korea Institute of Toxicology, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34114, Korea
| | - Haeshin Lee
- Deartment of Chemistry, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34141, Korea
| | - Hyukjin Lee
- College of Pharmacy, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ewha Womans University, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 03760, Korea
| | - Su Cheong Yeom
- Graduate School of International Agricultural Technology and Institute of Green BioScience and Technology, Seoul National University, Pyeongchang, Gangwon 25354, Korea
- WCU Biomodulation Major, Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Seoul National University, Gwanank-gu, Seoul 08826, Korea
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96
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Izuhara M, Matsui K, Yoshiike T, Kawamura A, Utsumi T, Nagao K, Tsuru A, Otsuki R, Kitamura S, Kuriyama K. Association between sleep duration and antibody acquisition after mRNA vaccination against SARS-CoV-2. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1242302. [PMID: 38149250 PMCID: PMC10750410 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1242302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Sleep enhances the antibody response to vaccination, but the relationship between sleep and mRNA vaccination against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is not fully understood. Methods In this prospective observational study, we investigated the influence of sleep habits on immune acquisition induced by mRNA vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 in 48 healthy adults (BNT-162b2, n=34; mRNA-1273, n=14; female, n=30, 62.5%; male, n=18, 37.5%; median age, 39.5 years; interquartile range, 33.0-44.0 years) from June 2021 to January 2022. The study measured sleep duration using actigraphy and sleep diaries, which covered the periods of the initial and booster vaccinations. Results Multivariable linear regression analysis showed that actigraphy-measured objective sleep duration 3 and 7 days after the booster vaccination was independently and significantly correlated with higher antibody titers (B=0.003; 95% confidence interval, 0.000-0.005; Beta=0.337; p=0.02), even after controlling for covariates, including age, sex, the type of vaccine, and reactogenicity to the vaccination. Associations between acquired antibody titer and average objective sleep duration before vaccination, and any period of subjective sleep duration measured by sleep diary were negligible. Discussion Longer objective, but not subjective, sleep duration after booster vaccination enhances antibody response. Hence, encouraging citizens to sleep longer after mRNA vaccination, especially after a booster dose, may increase protection against SARS-CoV-2. Study registration This study is registered at the University Hospital Medical Information Network Center (UMIN: https://www.umin.ac.jp) on July 30, 2021, #UMIN000045009.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muneto Izuhara
- Department of Sleep-Wake Disorders, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, National Center Hospital, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kentaro Matsui
- Department of Sleep-Wake Disorders, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, National Center Hospital, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takuya Yoshiike
- Department of Sleep-Wake Disorders, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Aoi Kawamura
- Department of Sleep-Wake Disorders, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tomohiro Utsumi
- Department of Sleep-Wake Disorders, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Psychiatry, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kentaro Nagao
- Department of Sleep-Wake Disorders, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Psychiatry, National Center Hospital, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Ayumi Tsuru
- Department of Sleep-Wake Disorders, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, National Center Hospital, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Rei Otsuki
- Department of Psychiatry, Nihon University School of Medicine, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shingo Kitamura
- Department of Sleep-Wake Disorders, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kenichi Kuriyama
- Department of Sleep-Wake Disorders, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira, Tokyo, Japan
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97
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Rizvi F, Lee YR, Diaz-Aragon R, Bawa PS, So J, Florentino RM, Wu S, Sarjoo A, Truong E, Smith AR, Wang F, Everton E, Ostrowska A, Jung K, Tam Y, Muramatsu H, Pardi N, Weissman D, Soto-Gutierrez A, Shin D, Gouon-Evans V. VEGFA mRNA-LNP promotes biliary epithelial cell-to-hepatocyte conversion in acute and chronic liver diseases and reverses steatosis and fibrosis. Cell Stem Cell 2023; 30:1640-1657.e8. [PMID: 38029740 PMCID: PMC10843608 DOI: 10.1016/j.stem.2023.10.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Revised: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
The liver is known for its remarkable regenerative ability through proliferation of hepatocytes. Yet, during chronic injury or severe hepatocyte death, proliferation of hepatocytes is exhausted. To overcome this hurdle, we propose vascular-endothelial-growth-factor A (VEGFA) as a therapeutic means to accelerate biliary epithelial-cell (BEC)-to-hepatocyte conversion. Investigation in zebrafish establishes that blocking VEGF receptors abrogates BEC-driven liver repair, while VEGFA overexpression promotes it. Delivery of VEGFA via nonintegrative and safe nucleoside-modified mRNA encapsulated into lipid nanoparticles (mRNA-LNPs) in acutely or chronically injured mouse livers induces robust BEC-to-hepatocyte conversion and elimination of steatosis and fibrosis. In human and murine diseased livers, we further identified VEGFA-receptor KDR-expressing BECs associated with KDR-expressing cell-derived hepatocytes. This work defines KDR-expressing cells, most likely being BECs, as facultative progenitors. This study reveals unexpected therapeutic benefits of VEGFA delivered via nucleoside-modified mRNA-LNP, whose safety is widely validated with COVID-19 vaccines, for harnessing BEC-driven repair to potentially treat liver diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatima Rizvi
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Department of Medicine, Section of Gastroenterology, Boston University and Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - Yu-Ri Lee
- Department of Developmental Biology, Pittsburgh Liver Research Center, McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
| | - Ricardo Diaz-Aragon
- Department of Pathology, Center for Transcriptional Medicine, Pittsburgh Liver Research Center, McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Pushpinder S Bawa
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Department of Medicine, Section of Gastroenterology, Boston University and Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - Juhoon So
- Department of Developmental Biology, Pittsburgh Liver Research Center, McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
| | - Rodrigo M Florentino
- Department of Pathology, Center for Transcriptional Medicine, Pittsburgh Liver Research Center, McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Susan Wu
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Department of Medicine, Section of Gastroenterology, Boston University and Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - Arianna Sarjoo
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Department of Medicine, Section of Gastroenterology, Boston University and Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - Emily Truong
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Department of Medicine, Section of Gastroenterology, Boston University and Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - Anna R Smith
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Department of Medicine, Section of Gastroenterology, Boston University and Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - Feiya Wang
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Department of Medicine, Section of Gastroenterology, Boston University and Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - Elissa Everton
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Department of Medicine, Section of Gastroenterology, Boston University and Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - Alina Ostrowska
- Department of Pathology, Center for Transcriptional Medicine, Pittsburgh Liver Research Center, McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Kyounghwa Jung
- Department of Developmental Biology, Pittsburgh Liver Research Center, McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
| | - Ying Tam
- Acuitas Therapeutics, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Hiromi Muramatsu
- Department of Microbiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Norbert Pardi
- Department of Microbiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Drew Weissman
- Department of Medicine, Infectious Diseases Division, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 10104, USA
| | - Alejandro Soto-Gutierrez
- Department of Pathology, Center for Transcriptional Medicine, Pittsburgh Liver Research Center, McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Donghun Shin
- Department of Developmental Biology, Pittsburgh Liver Research Center, McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
| | - Valerie Gouon-Evans
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Department of Medicine, Section of Gastroenterology, Boston University and Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA 02118, USA.
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98
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Cheng CW, Wu CY, Wang SW, Chen JY, Kung CC, Liao KS, Wong CH. Low-sugar universal mRNA vaccine against coronavirus variants with deletion of glycosites in the S2 or stem of SARS-CoV-2 spike messenger RNA (mRNA). Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2314392120. [PMID: 38011546 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2314392120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Since the outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Virus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) in 2019, more than 15 million spike protein sequences have been identified, raising a new challenge for the development of a broadly protective vaccine against the various emerging variants. We found that the virus, like most other human viruses, depends on host-made glycans to shield the conserved epitopes on spike protein from immune response and demonstrated that deletion of the glycan shields exposed highly conserved epitopes and elicited broadly protective immune responses. In this study, we identified 17 conserved epitopes from 14 million spike protein sequences and 11 of the conserved epitopes are in the S2 domain, including the six most conserved epitopes in the stem region. We also demonstrated that deletion of the glycosites in the spike messenger RNA (mRNA) S2 domain or the stem region exposed the highly conserved epitopes and elicited broadly protective immune responses, particularly CD-8+ T cell response against various SARS-CoV-2 variants, and other human coronaviruses including MERS, SARS viruses, and those causing common cold.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng-Wei Cheng
- Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei City 11529, Taiwan
- The Master Program of AI Application in Health Industry, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung City 80708, Taiwan
- Center for Big Data Research, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung City 80708, Taiwan
- Department of Medical Research, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung City 80708, Taiwan
| | - Chung-Yi Wu
- Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei City 11529, Taiwan
- Rock BioMedical, Inc., Taipei City 115202, Taiwan
| | - Szu-Wen Wang
- Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei City 11529, Taiwan
- Rock BioMedical, Inc., Taipei City 115202, Taiwan
| | - Jia-Yan Chen
- Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei City 11529, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Chuan Kung
- Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei City 11529, Taiwan
| | - Kuo-Shiang Liao
- Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei City 11529, Taiwan
| | - Chi-Huey Wong
- Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei City 11529, Taiwan
- Department of Chemistry, Scripps Research, La Jolla, CA 92037
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99
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Edwards C, Shah SA, Gebhardt T, Jewell CM. Exploiting Unique Features of Microneedles to Modulate Immunity. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2023; 35:e2302410. [PMID: 37380199 PMCID: PMC10753036 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202302410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2023] [Revised: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023]
Abstract
Microneedle arrays (MNAs) are small patches containing hundreds of short projections that deliver signals directly to dermal layers without causing pain. These technologies are of special interest for immunotherapy and vaccine delivery because they directly target immune cells concentrated in the skin. The targeting abilities of MNAs result in efficient immune responses-often more protective or therapeutic-compared to conventional needle delivery. MNAs also offer logistical benefits, such as self-administration and transportation without refrigeration. Thus, numerous preclinical and clinical studies are exploring these technologies. Here the unique advantages of MNA, as well as critical challenges-such as manufacturing and sterility issues-the field faces to enable widespread deployment are discussed. How MNA design parameters can be exploited for controlled release of vaccines and immunotherapies, and the application to preclinical models of infection, cancer, autoimmunity, and allergies are explained. Specific strategies are also discussed to reduce off-target effects compared to conventional vaccine delivery routes, and novel chemical and manufacturing controls that enable cargo stability in MNAs across flexible intervals and temperatures. Clinical research using MNAs is then examined. Drawbacks of MNAs and the implications, and emerging opportunities to exploit MNAs for immune engineering and clinical use are concluded.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camilla Edwards
- Fischell Department of Bioengineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA
| | - Shrey A Shah
- Fischell Department of Bioengineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA
| | - Thomas Gebhardt
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, The University of Melbourne at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection & Immunity, Melbourne, VIC, 3000, Australia
| | - Christopher M Jewell
- Fischell Department of Bioengineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA
- US Department of Veterans Affairs, VA Maryland Health Care System, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
- Robert E. Fischell Institute for Biomedical Devices, College Park, MD, 20742, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland Medical School, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
- Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Cancer Center, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
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Wan J, Yang J, Wang Z, Shen R, Zhang C, Wu Y, Zhou M, Chen H, Fu ZF, Sun H, Yi Y, Shen H, Li H, Zhao L. A single immunization with core-shell structured lipopolyplex mRNA vaccine against rabies induces potent humoral immunity in mice and dogs. Emerg Microbes Infect 2023; 12:2270081. [PMID: 37819147 PMCID: PMC10768744 DOI: 10.1080/22221751.2023.2270081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023]
Abstract
The persistence and clinical consequences of rabies virus (RABV) infection have prompted global efforts to develop a safe and effective vaccines against rabies. mRNA vaccines represent a promising option against emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases, gaining particular interest since the outbreak of COVID-19. Herein, we report the development of a highly efficacious rabies mRNA vaccine composed of sequence-modified mRNA encoding RABV glycoprotein (RABV-G) packaged in core-shell structured lipopolyplex (LPP) nanoparticles, named LPP-mRNA-G. The bilayer structure of LPP improves protection and delivery of RABV-G mRNA and allows gradual release of mRNA molecules as the polymer degrades. The unique core-shell structured nanoparticle of LPP-mRNA-G facilitates vaccine uptake and demonstrates a desirable biodistribution pattern with low liver targeting upon intramuscular immunization. Single administration of low-dose LPP-mRNA-G in mice elicited potent humoral immune response and provided complete protection against intracerebral challenge with lethal RABV. Similarly, single immunization of low-dose LPP-mRNA-G induced high levels of virus-neutralizing antibody titers in dogs. Collectively, our data demonstrate the potential of LPP-mRNA-G as a promising next-generation rabies vaccine used in human and companion animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiawu Wan
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, People’s Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine of Hubei Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, People’s Republic of China
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan, People’s Republic of China
- Frontiers Science Center for Animal Breeding and Sustainable Production, Wuhan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jianmei Yang
- Stemirna Therapeutics, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zongmei Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, People’s Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine of Hubei Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, People’s Republic of China
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan, People’s Republic of China
- Frontiers Science Center for Animal Breeding and Sustainable Production, Wuhan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Ruizhong Shen
- Stemirna Therapeutics, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
| | - Chengguang Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, People’s Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine of Hubei Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, People’s Republic of China
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan, People’s Republic of China
- Frontiers Science Center for Animal Breeding and Sustainable Production, Wuhan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yuntao Wu
- Stemirna Therapeutics, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
| | - Ming Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, People’s Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine of Hubei Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, People’s Republic of China
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan, People’s Republic of China
- Frontiers Science Center for Animal Breeding and Sustainable Production, Wuhan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Huanchun Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, People’s Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine of Hubei Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, People’s Republic of China
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan, People’s Republic of China
- Frontiers Science Center for Animal Breeding and Sustainable Production, Wuhan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zhen F. Fu
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, People’s Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine of Hubei Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, People’s Republic of China
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan, People’s Republic of China
- Frontiers Science Center for Animal Breeding and Sustainable Production, Wuhan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Haiwei Sun
- Stemirna Therapeutics, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yinglei Yi
- Stemirna Therapeutics, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
| | - Haifa Shen
- Stemirna Therapeutics, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
| | - Hangwen Li
- Stemirna Therapeutics, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
| | - Ling Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, People’s Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine of Hubei Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, People’s Republic of China
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan, People’s Republic of China
- Frontiers Science Center for Animal Breeding and Sustainable Production, Wuhan, People’s Republic of China
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