Synthetic mRNA for ex vivo therapeutic applications

Nucleic Acid Delivery Nanotechnologies for In Vivo Cell Programming

In medicine, it is desirable for clinicians to be able to restore function and imbue novel function into selected cells for therapy and disease prevention. Cells damaged by disease, injury, or aging could be programmed to restore normal or lost functions, such as retinal cells in inherited blindness and neuronal cells in Alzheimer's disease. Cells could also be genetically programmed with novel functions such as immune cells expressing synthetic chimeric antigen receptors for immunotherapy. Furthermore, knockdown or modification of risk factor proteins can mitigate disease development. Currently, nucleic acids are emerging as a versatile and potent therapeutic modality for achieving this cellular programming. In this review, we highlight the latest developments in nanobiomaterials-based nucleic acid therapeutics for cellular programming from a biomaterial design and delivery perspective and how to overcome barriers to their clinical translation to benefit patients.

The development and technologies of RNA therapeutics

Since it was discovered for over 20 years ago, the potentiality of siRNAs in gene silencing in vitro and in vivo models has been recognized. Several studies in the new generation, molecular mechanisms, target attachment, and purification of RNA have supported the development of RNA therapeutics for a variety of applications. RNA therapeutics are growing rapidly with various platforms contributing to the standard of personalized medicine and rare disease treatment. Therefore, understanding the development and technologies of RNA therapeutics becomes a crucial point for new drug generation. Here, the primary purpose of this review is to provide a general view of six therapeutic categories that make up RNA-based therapeutic approaches, including RNA-target therapeutics, protein-targeted therapeutics, cellular reprogramming and tissues engineering, RNA-based protein replacement therapeutics, RNA-based genome editing, and RNA-based immunotherapies based on non-coding RNAs and coding RNA. Furthermore, we present an overview of the RNA strategies regarding viral approaches and nonviral approaches in designing a new generation of RNA technologies. The advantages and challenges of using RNA therapeutics are also discussed along with various approaches for RNA delivery. Therefore, this review is designed to provide updated reference evidence of RNA therapeutics in the battle against rare or difficult-to-treat diseases for researchers in this field.

Current state of, prospects for, and obstacles to mRNA vaccine development

Given their superior efficacy, rapid engineering, low-cost manufacturing, and safe delivery prospects, mRNA vaccines offer an intriguing alternative to conventional vaccination technologies. Several mRNA vaccine platforms targeting infectious diseases and various types of cancer have exhibited beneficial results both in vivo and in vitro. Issues related to mRNA stability and immunogenicity have been addressed. Current mRNA vaccines can generate robust immune responses, without being constrained by the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) haplotype of the recipient. Given that mRNA vaccinations are the only transient genetic information carriers, they are also safe. In this review, we provide an update and overview on mRNA vaccines, including their current state, and the problems that have prevented them from being used in more general therapeutic ways.