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Shi R, Liu X, Wang Y, Pan M, Wang S, Shi L, Ni B. Long-term stability and immunogenicity of lipid nanoparticle COVID-19 mRNA vaccine is affected by particle size. Hum Vaccin Immunother 2024; 20:2342592. [PMID: 38714327 PMCID: PMC11085994 DOI: 10.1080/21645515.2024.2342592] [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: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) technology has been rapidly applied for the development of the COVID-19 vaccine. However, naked mRNA itself is inherently unstable. Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) protect mRNAs from extracellular ribonucleases and facilitate mRNA trafficking. For mRNA vaccines, antigen-presenting cells utilize LNPs through uptake to elicit antigen-specific immunity. There are reports on the impact of various physical characteristics of LNPs, particularly those with sizes less than 200 nm, especially 50 to 150 nm, on the overall stability and protective efficacy of mRNA vaccines. To address this, a single change in the size of LNPs using the same mRNA stock solution was assessed for the physicochemical characterization of the resulting mRNA-LNPs vaccine, along with the evaluation of their protective efficacy. Particles of smaller sizes generally disperse more effectively in solutions, with minimized occurrence of particle precipitation and aggregation. Here, we demonstrate that the vaccine containing 80-100 nm mRNA-LNPs showed the best stability and protection at 4°C and -20°C. Furthermore, we can conclude that freezing the vaccine at -20°C is more appropriate for maintaining stability over the long term. This effort is poised to provide a scientific basis for improving the quality of ongoing mRNA vaccine endeavors and providing information on the development of novel products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruimeng Shi
- School of Pharmacy, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, PR China
| | - Xueli Liu
- Pharmacology Laboratory, Hebei Research Institute of Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Inspection, Shijiazhuang, PR China
| | - Yajuan Wang
- Research and Development Department, CSPC Pharmaceutical Group Co., Ltd., Shijiazhuang, PR China
| | - Meilu Pan
- Pharmacology Laboratory, Hebei Research Institute of Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Inspection, Shijiazhuang, PR China
| | - Shaoqin Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, PR China
| | - Lin Shi
- Pharmacology Laboratory, Hebei Research Institute of Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Inspection, Shijiazhuang, PR China
| | - Beibei Ni
- Research and Development Department, CSPC Pharmaceutical Group Co., Ltd., Shijiazhuang, PR China
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2
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Mandal S, Ghosh JS, Lohani SC, Zhao M, Cheng Y, Burrack R, Luo M, Li Q. A long-term stable cold-chain-friendly HIV mRNA vaccine encoding multi-epitope viral protease cleavage site immunogens inducing immunogen-specific protective T cell immunity. Emerg Microbes Infect 2024; 13:2377606. [PMID: 38979723 DOI: 10.1080/22221751.2024.2377606] [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: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 07/04/2024] [Indexed: 07/10/2024]
Abstract
The lack of success in clinical trials for HIV vaccines highlights the need to explore novel strategies for vaccine development. Research on highly exposed seronegative (HESN) HIV-resistant Kenyan female sex workers revealed naturally protective immunity is correlated with a focused immune response mediated by virus-specific CD8 T cells. Further studies indicated that the immune response is unconventionally focused on highly conserved sequences around HIV viral protease cleavage sites (VPCS). Thus, taking an unconventional approach to HIV vaccine development, we designed lipid nanoparticles loaded with mRNA that encodes multi-epitopes of VPCS (MEVPCS-mRNA LNP), a strategic design to boost antigen presentation by dendritic cells, promoting effective cellular immunity. Furthermore, we developed a novel cold-chain compatible mRNA LNP formulation, ensuring long-term stability and compatibility with cold-chain storage/transport, widening accessibility of mRNA LNP vaccine in low-income countries. The in-vivo mouse study demonstrated that the vaccinated group generated VPCS-specific CD8 memory T cells, both systemically and at mucosal sites of viral entry. The MEVPCS-mRNA LNP vaccine-induced CD8 T cell immunity closely resembled that of the HESN group and displayed a polyfunctional profile. Notably, it induced minimal to no activation of CD4 T cells. This proof-of-concept study underscores the potential of the MEVPCS-mRNA LNP vaccine in eliciting CD8 T cell memory specific to the highly conserved multiple VPCS, consequently having a broad coverage in human populations and limiting viral escape mutation. The MEVPCS-mRNA LNP vaccine holds promise as a candidate for an effective prophylactic HIV vaccine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Subhra Mandal
- Nebraska Center for Virology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, USA
| | - Jayadri Sekhar Ghosh
- Nebraska Center for Virology, Department of Plant Pathology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, USA
| | - Saroj Chandra Lohani
- Nebraska Center for Virology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, USA
| | - Miaoyun Zhao
- Nebraska Center for Virology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, USA
| | - Yilun Cheng
- Nebraska Center for Virology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, USA
| | - Rachel Burrack
- Nebraska Center for Virology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, USA
| | - Ma Luo
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
- National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Qingsheng Li
- Nebraska Center for Virology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, USA
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3
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Bianco S, Hasan M, Ahmad A, Richards SJ, Dietrich B, Wallace M, Tang Q, Smith AJ, Gibson MI, Adams DJ. Mechanical release of homogenous proteins from supramolecular gels. Nature 2024; 631:544-548. [PMID: 39020036 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07580-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 07/19/2024]
Abstract
A long-standing challenge is how to formulate proteins and vaccines to retain function during storage and transport and to remove the burdens of cold-chain management. Any solution must be practical to use, with the protein being released or applied using clinically relevant triggers. Advanced biologic therapies are distributed cold, using substantial energy, limiting equitable distribution in low-resource countries and placing responsibility on the user for correct storage and handling. Cold-chain management is the best solution at present for protein transport but requires substantial infrastructure and energy. For example, in research laboratories, a single freezer at -80 °C consumes as much energy per day as a small household1. Of biological (protein or cell) therapies and all vaccines, 75% require cold-chain management; the cost of cold-chain management in clinical trials has increased by about 20% since 2015, reflecting this complexity. Bespoke formulations and excipients are now required, with trehalose2, sucrose or polymers3 widely used, which stabilize proteins by replacing surface water molecules and thereby make denaturation thermodynamically less likely; this has enabled both freeze-dried proteins and frozen proteins. For example, the human papilloma virus vaccine requires aluminium salt adjuvants to function, but these render it unstable against freeze-thaw4, leading to a very complex and expensive supply chain. Other ideas involve ensilication5 and chemical modification of proteins6. In short, protein stabilization is a challenge with no universal solution7,8. Here we designed a stiff hydrogel that stabilizes proteins against thermal denaturation even at 50 °C, and that can, unlike present technologies, deliver pure, excipient-free protein by mechanically releasing it from a syringe. Macromolecules can be loaded at up to 10 wt% without affecting the mechanism of release. This unique stabilization and excipient-free release synergy offers a practical, scalable and versatile solution to enable the low-cost, cold-chain-free and equitable delivery of therapies worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona Bianco
- Department of Chemistry, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Muhammad Hasan
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
| | - Ashfaq Ahmad
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
- Department of Chemistry, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
| | - Sarah-Jane Richards
- Department of Chemistry, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
- Department of Chemistry, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Bart Dietrich
- Department of Chemistry, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Matthew Wallace
- School of Pharmacy, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK
| | - Qiao Tang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
| | - Andrew J Smith
- Diamond Light Source Ltd, Diamond House, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot, UK
| | - Matthew I Gibson
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK.
- Department of Chemistry, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK.
- Department of Chemistry, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
- Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
| | - Dave J Adams
- Department of Chemistry, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.
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4
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Wang C, Yuan F. A comprehensive comparison of DNA and RNA vaccines. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2024; 210:115340. [PMID: 38810703 PMCID: PMC11181159 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2024.115340] [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: 03/28/2024] [Revised: 05/06/2024] [Accepted: 05/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024]
Abstract
Nucleic acid technology has revolutionized vaccine development, enabling rapid design and production of RNA and DNA vaccines for prevention and treatment of diseases. The successful deployment of mRNA and plasmid DNA vaccines against COVID-19 has further validated the technology. At present, mRNA platform is prevailing due to its higher efficacy, while DNA platform is undergoing rapid evolution because it possesses unique advantages that can potentially overcome the problems associated with the mRNA platform. To help understand the recent performances of the two vaccine platforms and recognize their clinical potentials in the future, this review compares the advantages and drawbacks of mRNA and DNA vaccines that are currently known in the literature, in terms of development timeline, financial cost, ease of distribution, efficacy, safety, and regulatory approval of products. Additionally, the review discusses the ongoing clinical trials, strategies for improvement, and alternative designs of RNA and DNA platforms for vaccination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunxi Wang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27705, United States
| | - Fan Yuan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27705, United States.
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5
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Zhang W, Jiao Y, Zhang Z, Zhang Y, Yu J, Gu Z. Transdermal gene delivery. J Control Release 2024; 371:516-529. [PMID: 38849095 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2024.06.013] [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: 02/28/2024] [Revised: 05/27/2024] [Accepted: 06/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024]
Abstract
Gene delivery has revolutionized conventional medical approaches to vaccination, cancer, and autoimmune diseases. However, current gene delivery methods are limited to either intravenous administration or direct local injections, failing to achieve well biosafety, tissue targeting, drug retention, and transfection efficiency for desired therapeutic outcomes. Transdermal drug delivery based on various delivery strategies can offer improved therapeutic potential and superior patient experiences. Recently, there has been increased foundational and clinical research focusing on the role of the transdermal route in gene delivery and exploring its impact on the efficiency of gene delivery. This review introduces the recent advances in transdermal gene delivery approaches facilitated by drug formulations and medical devices, as well as discusses their prospects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wentao Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Delivery and Release Systems, Key Laboratory for Advanced Drug Delivery Systems of Zhejiang Province, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Yunlong Jiao
- State Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Delivery and Release Systems, Key Laboratory for Advanced Drug Delivery Systems of Zhejiang Province, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Ziru Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Delivery and Release Systems, Key Laboratory for Advanced Drug Delivery Systems of Zhejiang Province, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Yuqi Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Delivery and Release Systems, Key Laboratory for Advanced Drug Delivery Systems of Zhejiang Province, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; Department of Burns and Wound Center, Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310009, China
| | - Jicheng Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Delivery and Release Systems, Key Laboratory for Advanced Drug Delivery Systems of Zhejiang Province, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 311121, China; Department of General Surgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310016, China; Jinhua Institute of Zhejiang University, Jinhua 321299, China.
| | - Zhen Gu
- State Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Delivery and Release Systems, Key Laboratory for Advanced Drug Delivery Systems of Zhejiang Province, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 311121, China; Department of General Surgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310016, China; Jinhua Institute of Zhejiang University, Jinhua 321299, China; MOE Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Synthesis and Functionalization, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China.
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6
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Lyu F, Zhao YH, Zuo XX, Nyide B, Deng BH, Zhou MX, Hou J, Jiao JJ, Zeng MQ, Jie HY, Olaniran A, Lu Y, Khoza T. Thermostable vacuum foam dried Newcastle disease vaccine: Process optimization and pilot-scale study. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2024; 108:359. [PMID: 38836885 PMCID: PMC11153293 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-024-13174-7] [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: 04/24/2024] [Accepted: 05/04/2024] [Indexed: 06/06/2024]
Abstract
Vacuum foam drying (VFD) has been shown to improve the thermostability and long-term shelf life of Newcastle Disease Virus (NDV). This study optimized the VFD process to improve the shelf life of NDV at laboratory-scale and then tested the optimized conditions at pilot-scale. The optimal NDV to T5 formulation ratio was determined to be 1:1 or 3:2. Using the 1:1 virus to formulation ratio, the optimal filling volumes were determined to be 13-17% of the vial capacity. The optimized VFD process conditions were determined to be at a shelf temperature of 25℃ with a minimum overall drying time of 44 h. The vaccine samples prepared using these optimized conditions at laboratory-scale exhibited virus titer losses of ≤ 1.0 log10 with residual moisture content (RMC) below 3%. Furthermore, these samples were transported for 97 days around China at ambient temperature without significant titer loss, thus demonstrating the thermostability of the NDV-VFD vaccine. Pilot-scale testing of the NDV-VFD vaccine at optimized conditions showed promising results for up-scaling the process as the RMC was below 3%. However, the virus titer loss was slightly above 1.0 log10 (approximately 1.1 log10). Therefore, the NDV-VFD process requires further optimization at pilot scale to obtain a titer loss of ≤ 1.0 log10. Results from this study provide important guidance for possible industrialization of NDV-VFD vaccine in the future. KEY POINTS: • The process optimization and scale-up test of thermostable NDV vaccine prepared through VFD is reported for the first time in this study. • The live attenuated NDV-VFD vaccine maintained thermostability for 97 days during long distance transportation in summer without cold chain conditions. • The optimized NDV-VFD vaccine preparations evaluated at pilot-scale maintained acceptable levels of infectivity after preservation at 37℃ for 90 days, which demonstrated the feasibility of the vaccine for industrialization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fang Lyu
- Institute of Veterinary Immunology & Engineering, National Research Center of Engineering and Technology for Veterinary Biologicals, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, 210014, China
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences, College of Agriculture, Engineering & Science, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 3209, South Africa
- GuoTai (Taizhou) Center of Technology Innovation for Veterinary Biologicals, Taizhou, 225300, China
- School of Animal Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yan-Hong Zhao
- Institute of Veterinary Immunology & Engineering, National Research Center of Engineering and Technology for Veterinary Biologicals, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, 210014, China
- School of Animal Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xiao-Xin Zuo
- Institute of Veterinary Immunology & Engineering, National Research Center of Engineering and Technology for Veterinary Biologicals, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, 210014, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Food Quality and Safety-State Key Laboratory Cultivation Base, Ministry of Science and Technology, Nanjing, 210014, China
| | - Babalwa Nyide
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences, College of Agriculture, Engineering & Science, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 3209, South Africa
| | - Bi-Hua Deng
- Institute of Veterinary Immunology & Engineering, National Research Center of Engineering and Technology for Veterinary Biologicals, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, 210014, China
- GuoTai (Taizhou) Center of Technology Innovation for Veterinary Biologicals, Taizhou, 225300, China
- School of Animal Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, Jiangsu, China
| | - Ming-Xu Zhou
- Institute of Veterinary Immunology & Engineering, National Research Center of Engineering and Technology for Veterinary Biologicals, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, 210014, China
- GuoTai (Taizhou) Center of Technology Innovation for Veterinary Biologicals, Taizhou, 225300, China
| | - Jibo Hou
- Institute of Veterinary Immunology & Engineering, National Research Center of Engineering and Technology for Veterinary Biologicals, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, 210014, China
| | - Jia-Jie Jiao
- Institute of Veterinary Immunology & Engineering, National Research Center of Engineering and Technology for Veterinary Biologicals, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, 210014, China
- School of Animal Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, Jiangsu, China
| | - Min-Qian Zeng
- Institute of Veterinary Immunology & Engineering, National Research Center of Engineering and Technology for Veterinary Biologicals, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, 210014, China
- School of Animal Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, Jiangsu, China
| | - Hong-Ying Jie
- Institute of Veterinary Immunology & Engineering, National Research Center of Engineering and Technology for Veterinary Biologicals, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, 210014, China
| | - Ademola Olaniran
- Department of Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, Engineering & Science, College of Agriculture, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 4000, South Africa
| | - Yu Lu
- Institute of Veterinary Immunology & Engineering, National Research Center of Engineering and Technology for Veterinary Biologicals, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, 210014, China.
- GuoTai (Taizhou) Center of Technology Innovation for Veterinary Biologicals, Taizhou, 225300, China.
- School of Animal Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, Jiangsu, China.
- School of Pharmacy, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013, China.
| | - Thandeka Khoza
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences, College of Agriculture, Engineering & Science, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 3209, South Africa.
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7
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Makhijani S, Elossaily GM, Rojekar S, Ingle RG. mRNA-based vaccines - global approach, challenges, and could be a promising wayout for future pandemics. Pharm Dev Technol 2024:1-7. [PMID: 38814266 DOI: 10.1080/10837450.2024.2361656] [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: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 05/27/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024]
Abstract
mRNA-based vaccines are assured to significantly boost biopharmaceuticals since outbreak of coronavirus disease- 2019. Respiratory infections, such as influenza, SARS, MERS, COVID-19, and respiratory syncytial virus, often have high transmission rates due to their airborne spread. Respiratory infections can lead to severe illness and death. These outbreaks can cause substantial economic and social disruption, as seen with the COVID-19 pandemic. In our interconnected world, respiratory diseases can spread rapidly across borders. mRNA-based vaccines (e.g. mRNA-1283) can reduce the transmission by creating immunity in the population, thus lowering the incidence and spread of these diseases. Vaccines are crucial for global health security, helping to prevent local outbreaks from becoming global pandemics. Nevertheless, various concerns remain such as intracellular delivery, susceptibility to degradation by catalytic hydrolysis, and instability due to several physiological conditions. Therefore, an hour needed to address these challenges and opportunities for attaining high-quality and stable mRNA-based vaccines with novel drug delivery systems. The authors contributed an extensive review of the mRNA-based clinical development, progress in stability, and delivery challenges to mitigate market needs. In addition, the authors discuss crucial advances in the growth of mRNA-based vaccines to date; which dominate an extensive scope of therapeutic implementation. Finally, recent mRNA-based vaccines in clinical trials, adjuvant benefits, and prospects are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shivani Makhijani
- Datta Meghe College of Pharmacy, Datta Meghe Institute of Higher Education and Research (DMIHER), Deemed to be University, Wardha, Maharashtra, India
| | - Gehan M Elossaily
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, AlMaarefa University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Rahul G Ingle
- Datta Meghe College of Pharmacy, Datta Meghe Institute of Higher Education and Research (DMIHER), Deemed to be University, Wardha, Maharashtra, India
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8
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Ruiz-Matus S, Goldstein P. On the universality of viscosity in supersaturated binary aqueous sugar solutions: Cryopreservation by vitrification. Cryobiology 2024; 115:104886. [PMID: 38555011 DOI: 10.1016/j.cryobiol.2024.104886] [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: 01/20/2024] [Revised: 03/07/2024] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024]
Abstract
Nowadays, the physical nature of supersaturated binary aqueous sugar solutions in the vicinity of the glass transition represents a very important issue due to their biological applications in cryopreservation of cells and tissues, food science and stabilization and storage of nano genetic drugs. We present the construction of the Supplemented Phase Diagram and the non-equilibrium nature of the undersaturated-supersaturated kinetic transition. The description of its thermodynamic nature is achieved through the study of behavior of their viscosity as temperature is lowered and concentration increased. In this work, we find a universal character for the viscosities of several sugar water solutions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soledad Ruiz-Matus
- Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, National Autonomous University of México, 04510, Coyoacán, Ciudad de México, Mexico.
| | - Patricia Goldstein
- Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, National Autonomous University of México, 04510, Coyoacán, Ciudad de México, Mexico.
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9
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Puente EG, Sivasankaran RP, Vinciguerra D, Yang J, Lower HAC, Hevener AL, Maynard HD. Uniform trehalose nanogels for glucagon stabilization. RSC APPLIED POLYMERS 2024; 2:473-482. [PMID: 38800515 PMCID: PMC11114568 DOI: 10.1039/d3lp00226h] [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: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Glucagon is a peptide hormone that acts via receptor-mediated signaling predominantly in the liver to raise glucose levels by hepatic glycogen breakdown or conversion of noncarbohydrate, 3 carbon precursors to glucose by gluconeogenesis. Glucagon is administered to reverse severe hypoglycemia, a clinical complication associated with type 1 diabetes. However, due to low stability and solubility at neutral pH, there are limitations in the current formulations of glucagon. Trehalose methacrylate-based nanoparticles were utilized as the stabilizing and solubilizing moiety in the system reported herein. Glucagon was site-selectively modified to contain a cysteine at amino acid number 24 to covalently attach to the methacrylate-based polymer containing pyridyl disulfide side chains. PEG2000 dithiol was employed as the crosslinker to form uniform nanoparticles. Glucagon nanogels were monitored in Dulbecco's phosphate-buffered saline (DPBS) pH 7.4 at various temperatures to determine its long-term stability in solution. Glucagon nanogels were stable up to at least 5 months by size uniformity when stored at -20 °C and 4 °C, up to 5 days at 25 °C, and less than 12 hours at 37 °C. When glucagon stability was studied by either HPLC or thioflavin T assays, the glucagon was intact for at least 5 months at -20 °C and 4 °C within the nanoparticles at -20 °C and 4 °C and up to 2 days at 25 °C. Additionally, the glucagon nanogels were studied for toxicity and efficacy using various assays in vitro. The findings indicate that the nanogels were nontoxic to fibroblast cells and nonhemolytic to red blood cells. The glucagon in the nanogels was as active as glucagon alone. These results demonstrate the utility of trehalose nanogels towards a glucagon formulation with improved stability and solubility in aqueous solutions, particularly useful for storage at cold temperatures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellie G Puente
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles 607 Charles E. Young Drive East Los Angeles California 90095-1569 USA
- California Nanosystems Institute, University of California, Los Angeles 570 Westwood Plaza Los Angeles California 90095-1569 USA
| | - Rajalakshmi P Sivasankaran
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles 607 Charles E. Young Drive East Los Angeles California 90095-1569 USA
- California Nanosystems Institute, University of California, Los Angeles 570 Westwood Plaza Los Angeles California 90095-1569 USA
| | - Daniele Vinciguerra
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles 607 Charles E. Young Drive East Los Angeles California 90095-1569 USA
- California Nanosystems Institute, University of California, Los Angeles 570 Westwood Plaza Los Angeles California 90095-1569 USA
| | - Jane Yang
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles 607 Charles E. Young Drive East Los Angeles California 90095-1569 USA
- California Nanosystems Institute, University of California, Los Angeles 570 Westwood Plaza Los Angeles California 90095-1569 USA
| | - Haillie-Ann C Lower
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles 607 Charles E. Young Drive East Los Angeles California 90095-1569 USA
- California Nanosystems Institute, University of California, Los Angeles 570 Westwood Plaza Los Angeles California 90095-1569 USA
| | - Andrea L Hevener
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Hypertension, Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine University of California, Los Angeles Los Angeles CA USA
- Department of Medicine and VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System GRECC Los Angeles CA 90073 USA
| | - Heather D Maynard
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles 607 Charles E. Young Drive East Los Angeles California 90095-1569 USA
- California Nanosystems Institute, University of California, Los Angeles 570 Westwood Plaza Los Angeles California 90095-1569 USA
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10
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Chu R, Wang Y, Kong J, Pan T, Yang Y, He J. Lipid nanoparticles as the drug carrier for targeted therapy of hepatic disorders. J Mater Chem B 2024; 12:4759-4784. [PMID: 38682294 DOI: 10.1039/d3tb02766j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
The liver, a complex and vital organ in the human body, is susceptible to various diseases, including metabolic disorders, acute hepatitis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. In recent decades, these diseases have significantly contributed to global morbidity and mortality. Currently, liver transplantation remains the most effective treatment for hepatic disorders. Nucleic acid therapeutics offer a selective approach to disease treatment through diverse mechanisms, enabling the regulation of relevant genes and providing a novel therapeutic avenue for hepatic disorders. It is expected that nucleic acid drugs will emerge as the third generation of pharmaceuticals, succeeding small molecule drugs and antibody drugs. Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) represent a crucial technology in the field of drug delivery and constitute a significant advancement in gene therapies. Nucleic acids encapsulated in LNPs are shielded from the degradation of enzymes and effectively delivered to cells, where they are released and regulate specific genes. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the structure, composition, and applications of LNPs in the treatment of hepatic disorders and offers insights into prospects and challenges in the future development of LNPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Runxuan Chu
- National Advanced Medical Engineering Research Center, China State Institute of Pharmaceutical Industry, 285 Gebaini Road, Shanghai 201203, P. R. China.
| | - Yi Wang
- Department of Chemistry, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tung, Hong Kong SAR, P. R. China.
| | - Jianglong Kong
- Department of Chemistry, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tung, Hong Kong SAR, P. R. China.
| | - Ting Pan
- National Advanced Medical Engineering Research Center, China State Institute of Pharmaceutical Industry, 285 Gebaini Road, Shanghai 201203, P. R. China.
- Department of Pharmaceutics School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, P. R. China
| | - Yani Yang
- National Advanced Medical Engineering Research Center, China State Institute of Pharmaceutical Industry, 285 Gebaini Road, Shanghai 201203, P. R. China.
| | - Jun He
- National Advanced Medical Engineering Research Center, China State Institute of Pharmaceutical Industry, 285 Gebaini Road, Shanghai 201203, P. R. China.
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11
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Mitra A, Kumar A, Amdare NP, Pathak R. Current Landscape of Cancer Immunotherapy: Harnessing the Immune Arsenal to Overcome Immune Evasion. BIOLOGY 2024; 13:307. [PMID: 38785789 PMCID: PMC11118874 DOI: 10.3390/biology13050307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2024] [Revised: 04/24/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Cancer immune evasion represents a leading hallmark of cancer, posing a significant obstacle to the development of successful anticancer therapies. However, the landscape of cancer treatment has significantly evolved, transitioning into the era of immunotherapy from conventional methods such as surgical resection, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and targeted drug therapy. Immunotherapy has emerged as a pivotal component in cancer treatment, harnessing the body's immune system to combat cancer and offering improved prognostic outcomes for numerous patients. The remarkable success of immunotherapy has spurred significant efforts to enhance the clinical efficacy of existing agents and strategies. Several immunotherapeutic approaches have received approval for targeted cancer treatments, while others are currently in preclinical and clinical trials. This review explores recent progress in unraveling the mechanisms of cancer immune evasion and evaluates the clinical effectiveness of diverse immunotherapy strategies, including cancer vaccines, adoptive cell therapy, and antibody-based treatments. It encompasses both established treatments and those currently under investigation, providing a comprehensive overview of efforts to combat cancer through immunological approaches. Additionally, the article emphasizes the current developments, limitations, and challenges in cancer immunotherapy. Furthermore, by integrating analyses of cancer immunotherapy resistance mechanisms and exploring combination strategies and personalized approaches, it offers valuable insights crucial for the development of novel anticancer immunotherapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ankita Mitra
- Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Anoop Kumar
- Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory, National Institute of Biologicals, Noida 201309, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Nitin P. Amdare
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, NY 10461, USA
| | - Rajiv Pathak
- Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, NY 10461, USA
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12
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Driscoll DF, Bistrian BR. Pharmaceutical Considerations and Metabolic Fate of Parenteral Lipid Nanoparticle Dosage Forms. J Pharm Sci 2024:S0022-3549(24)00155-2. [PMID: 38685453 DOI: 10.1016/j.xphs.2024.04.027] [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: 03/07/2024] [Revised: 04/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
The physical stability of parenteral dispersions for delivery of drugs to patients is of particular clinical importance, given their general overall superior bioavailability compared to other routes of administration. Although official pharmacopeial methods for lipid injectable emulsions have been established for triglyceride oil-in-water dispersions (i.e., "mini-emulsions") through USP Chapter <729>, no pharmaceopeial guidance exists for lipid nanoparticle (LNP)-based "micro-emulsions". At present, there are several LNP-based drugs approved for clinical use, including mRNA vaccines. Moreover, the increased interest in using mRNA as a platform technology for an array of potential therapeutic drug candidates increases the importance of developing appropriate methods to ensure their physical stability, safety and efficacy. For all dispersions and by various detection mechanisms (e.g., electrical, mechanical, mathematical), the fusion or growth of droplets/particles in the large-diameter tails of the particle size distribution (PSD) signals the onset of instability. Consequently, the measurement for LNP dispersions will require the use of a modified optical detection design in order to extend the lower particle detection limit into the "relative" large-diameter tail of the PSD for both light extinction and light-scattering methods based on single-particle optical sensing techniques. Fortunately, the technology is currently available and capable of providing the requisite quantitative analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- David F Driscoll
- Stable Solutions LLC, Easton MA; UMASS Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA.
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13
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Eskandari A, Leow TC, Rahman MBA, Oslan SN. Advances in Therapeutic Cancer Vaccines, Their Obstacles, and Prospects Toward Tumor Immunotherapy. Mol Biotechnol 2024:10.1007/s12033-024-01144-3. [PMID: 38625508 DOI: 10.1007/s12033-024-01144-3] [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: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024]
Abstract
Over the past few decades, cancer immunotherapy has experienced a significant revolution due to the advancements in immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) and adoptive cell therapies (ACTs), along with their regulatory approvals. In recent times, there has been hope in the effectiveness of cancer vaccines for therapy as they have been able to stimulate de novo T-cell reactions against tumor antigens. These tumor antigens include both tumor-associated antigen (TAA) and tumor-specific antigen (TSA). Nevertheless, the constant quest to fully achieve these abilities persists. Therefore, this review offers a broad perspective on the existing status of cancer immunizations. Cancer vaccine design has been revolutionized due to the advancements made in antigen selection, the development of antigen delivery systems, and a deeper understanding of the strategic intricacies involved in effective antigen presentation. In addition, this review addresses the present condition of clinical tests and deliberates on their approaches, with a particular emphasis on the immunogenicity specific to tumors and the evaluation of effectiveness against tumors. Nevertheless, the ongoing clinical endeavors to create cancer vaccines have failed to produce remarkable clinical results as a result of substantial obstacles, such as the suppression of the tumor immune microenvironment, the identification of suitable candidates, the assessment of immune responses, and the acceleration of vaccine production. Hence, there are possibilities for the industry to overcome challenges and enhance patient results in the coming years. This can be achieved by recognizing the intricate nature of clinical issues and continuously working toward surpassing existing limitations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Azadeh Eskandari
- Enzyme and Microbial Technology Research Centre, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.
| | - Thean Chor Leow
- Enzyme and Microbial Technology Research Centre, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
- Enzyme Technology and X-ray Crystallography Laboratory, VacBio 5, Institute of Bioscience, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | | | - Siti Nurbaya Oslan
- Enzyme and Microbial Technology Research Centre, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
- Enzyme Technology and X-ray Crystallography Laboratory, VacBio 5, Institute of Bioscience, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
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14
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Alsaiari SK, Nadeef S, Daristotle JL, Rothwell W, Du B, Garcia J, Zhang L, Sarmadi M, Forster TA, Menon N, Lin SQ, Tostanoski LH, Hachmann N, Wang EY, Ventura JD, Barouch DH, Langer R, Jaklenec A. Zeolitic imidazolate frameworks activate endosomal Toll-like receptors and potentiate immunogenicity of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein trimer. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eadj6380. [PMID: 38446889 PMCID: PMC10917347 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adj6380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024]
Abstract
Nanomaterials offer unique opportunities to engineer immunomodulatory activity. In this work, we report the Toll-like receptor agonist activity of a nanoscale adjuvant zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8). The accumulation of ZIF-8 in endosomes and the pH-responsive release of its subunits enable selective engagement with endosomal Toll-like receptors, minimizing the risk of off-target activation. The intrinsic adjuvant properties of ZIF-8, along with the efficient delivery and biomimetic presentation of a severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 spike protein receptor-binding domain trimer, primed rapid humoral and cell-mediated immunity in a dose-sparing manner. Our study offers insights for next-generation adjuvants that can potentially impact future vaccine development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shahad K. Alsaiari
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Seba Nadeef
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - John L. Daristotle
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - William Rothwell
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Bujie Du
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Johnny Garcia
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Linzixuan Zhang
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Morteza Sarmadi
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Timothy A. Forster
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Nandita Menon
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Stacey Qiaohui Lin
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Lisa H. Tostanoski
- Center for Virology and Vaccine Research, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Nicole Hachmann
- Center for Virology and Vaccine Research, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Erika Yan Wang
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - John D. Ventura
- Center for Virology and Vaccine Research, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Dan H. Barouch
- Center for Virology and Vaccine Research, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Robert Langer
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Ana Jaklenec
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
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15
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Vander Straeten A, Sarmadi M, Daristotle JL, Kanelli M, Tostanoski LH, Collins J, Pardeshi A, Han J, Varshney D, Eshaghi B, Garcia J, Forster TA, Li G, Menon N, Pyon SL, Zhang L, Jacob-Dolan C, Powers OC, Hall K, Alsaiari SK, Wolf M, Tibbitt MW, Farra R, Barouch DH, Langer R, Jaklenec A. A microneedle vaccine printer for thermostable COVID-19 mRNA vaccines. Nat Biotechnol 2024; 42:510-517. [PMID: 37095347 PMCID: PMC10593912 DOI: 10.1038/s41587-023-01774-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2022] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 04/26/2023]
Abstract
Decentralized manufacture of thermostable mRNA vaccines in a microneedle patch (MNP) format could enhance vaccine access in low-resource communities by eliminating the need for a cold chain and trained healthcare personnel. Here we describe an automated process for printing MNP Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) mRNA vaccines in a standalone device. The vaccine ink is composed of lipid nanoparticles loaded with mRNA and a dissolvable polymer blend that was optimized for high bioactivity by screening formulations in vitro. We demonstrate that the resulting MNPs are shelf stable for at least 6 months at room temperature when assessed using a model mRNA construct. Vaccine loading efficiency and microneedle dissolution suggest that efficacious, microgram-scale doses of mRNA encapsulated in lipid nanoparticles could be delivered with a single patch. Immunizations in mice using manually produced MNPs with mRNA encoding severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) spike protein receptor-binding domain stimulate long-term immune responses similar to those of intramuscular administration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aurélien Vander Straeten
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Morteza Sarmadi
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - John L Daristotle
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Maria Kanelli
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Lisa H Tostanoski
- Center for Virology and Vaccine Research, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Joe Collins
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Apurva Pardeshi
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Jooli Han
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Dhruv Varshney
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Behnaz Eshaghi
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Johnny Garcia
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Timothy A Forster
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Gary Li
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Nandita Menon
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Sydney L Pyon
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Linzixuan Zhang
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Catherine Jacob-Dolan
- Center for Virology and Vaccine Research, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Olivia C Powers
- Center for Virology and Vaccine Research, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kevin Hall
- Center for Virology and Vaccine Research, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Shahad K Alsaiari
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Morris Wolf
- Macromolecular Engineering Laboratory, Department of Mechanical and Process Engineering, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Mark W Tibbitt
- Macromolecular Engineering Laboratory, Department of Mechanical and Process Engineering, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | | | - Dan H Barouch
- Center for Virology and Vaccine Research, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Robert Langer
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.
| | - Ana Jaklenec
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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16
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Park C, Jeong Y, Yeom H, Song SW, Park W, Lee D. Time-traceable micro-taggants for anti-counterfeiting and secure distribution of food and medicines. BIOMICROFLUIDICS 2024; 18:024109. [PMID: 38634038 PMCID: PMC11021126 DOI: 10.1063/5.0200915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 03/30/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024]
Abstract
This study presents an innovative solution for the enhanced tracking and security of pharmaceuticals through the development of microstructures incorporating environmentally responsive, coded microparticles. Utilizing maskless photolithography, we engineered these microparticles with a degradable masking layer with 30 μm thickness that undergoes controlled dissolution. Quantitative analysis revealed that the protective layer's degradation, monitored by red fluorescence intensity, diminishes predictably over 144 h in phosphate-buffered saline under physiological conditions. This degradation not only confirms the microparticles' integrity but also allows the extraction of encoded information, which can serve as a robust indicator of medicinal shelf life and a deterrent to tampering. These findings indicate the potential for applying this technology in real-time monitoring of pharmaceuticals, ensuring quality and authenticity in the supply chain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheolheon Park
- Bio-MAX Institute, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Yunjin Jeong
- Bio-MAX Institute, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Huiran Yeom
- Division of Data Science, The University of Suwon, Hwaseong 18323, Republic of Korea
| | | | | | - Daewon Lee
- Department of Electronics Engineering, Myongji University, Yongin 17058, Republic of Korea
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17
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Gu X, Qi Y, El-Kebir M. DERNA Enables Pareto Optimal RNA Design. J Comput Biol 2024; 31:179-196. [PMID: 38416637 DOI: 10.1089/cmb.2023.0283] [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: 03/01/2024] Open
Abstract
The design of an RNA sequence v that encodes an input target protein sequence w is a crucial aspect of messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccine development. There are an exponential number of possible RNA sequences for a single target protein due to codon degeneracy. These potential RNA sequences can assume various secondary structure conformations, each with distinct minimum free energy (MFE), impacting thermodynamic stability and mRNA half-life. Furthermore, the presence of species-specific codon usage bias, quantified by the codon adaptation index (CAI), plays a vital role in translation efficiency. While earlier studies focused on optimizing either MFE or CAI, recent research has underscored the advantages of simultaneously optimizing both objectives. However, optimizing one objective comes at the expense of the other. In this work, we present the Pareto Optimal RNA Design problem, aiming to identify the set of Pareto optimal solutions for which no alternative solutions exist that exhibit better MFE and CAI values. Our algorithm DEsign RNA (DERNA) uses the weighted sum method to enumerate the Pareto front by optimizing convex combinations of both objectives. We use dynamic programming to solve each convex combination in O ( | w | 3 ) time and O ( | w | 2 ) space. Compared with a CDSfold, previous approach that only optimizes MFE, we show on a benchmark data set that DERNA obtains solutions with identical MFE but superior CAI. Moreover, we show that DERNA matches the performance in terms of solution quality of LinearDesign, a recent approach that similarly seeks to balance MFE and CAI. We conclude by demonstrating our method's potential for mRNA vaccine design for the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyu Gu
- Department of Computer Science and University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - Yuanyuan Qi
- Department of Computer Science and University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - Mohammed El-Kebir
- Department of Computer Science and University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
- Cancer Center at Illinois, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
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18
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Ba Z, Qin Y, Sang Z, Wu H, Wu X, Cheng H, Ya B, Chen F. Vaccine inequity-induced COVID-19 dilemma: Time to sober up. Leg Med (Tokyo) 2024; 66:102364. [PMID: 38104356 DOI: 10.1016/j.legalmed.2023.102364] [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: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The aim of the study was to discuss the catastrophic consequences of inequitable vaccine distribution and analyze the main challenges to address it, helping to guide efforts to address inequities in vaccine coverage. METHODS All published papers written in English were searched through PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar with the combination of relevant terms of COVID-19 vaccine inequity. RESULTS In this paper, we first outlined the scope of inequitable vaccine distribution and identify its truly catastrophic consequences. Next, from the perspectives of political will, free markets, and profit-driven enterprises based on patent and intellectual property protection, we analyzed in depth the root causes of why this phenomenon is so difficult to combat. In addition, some specific and crucial solutions that should be undertaken in the long term were also put forward in order to provide a useful reference for the authorities, stakeholders, and researchers involved in addressing this worldwide crisis and the next one. CONCLUSIONS Achieving COVID-19 vaccine equity faces funding gaps, vaccine nationalism, and barriers to access to intellectual property and technology. Thus, the scope of global vaccine inequity is immense, and its repercussions will continue to be felt worldwide, especially among the world's most vulnerable residents, both adults and children. Beyond fundamental issues, the growing vaccine hesitancy and unreliable distribution in low-income countries must be addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zaihua Ba
- Department of Physiology, Jining Medical University, Jining, China
| | - Yining Qin
- Department of Physiology, Jining Medical University, Jining, China
| | - Ziling Sang
- Department of Physiology, Jining Medical University, Jining, China
| | - Hao Wu
- Dongping County People's Hospital, Tai-an 271500, China
| | - Xiaoli Wu
- Dongping County People's Hospital, Tai-an 271500, China
| | - Hongju Cheng
- Department of Physiology, Jining Medical University, Jining, China
| | - Bailiu Ya
- Department of Physiology, Jining Medical University, Jining, China
| | - Fei Chen
- Department of Physiology, Jining Medical University, Jining, China.
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19
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Branham PJ, Cooper HC, Williamson YM, Najjar FN, Sutton WJH, Pierce-Ruiz CL, Barr JR, Williams TL. An antibody-free evaluation of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine. Biologicals 2024; 85:101738. [PMID: 38096736 PMCID: PMC10961194 DOI: 10.1016/j.biologicals.2023.101738] [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] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Revised: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 03/26/2024] Open
Abstract
This manuscript describes the use of an analytical assay that combines transfection of mammalian cells and isotope dilution mass spectrometry (IDMS) for accurate quantification of antigen expression. Expired mRNA COVID-19 vaccine material was stored at 4 °C, room temperature (∼25 °C), and 56 °C over a period of 5 weeks. The same vaccine was also exposed to 5 freeze-thaw cycles. Every week, the spike protein antigenic expression in mammalian (BHK-21) cells was evaluated. Housekeeping proteins, β-actin and GAPDH, were simultaneously quantified to account for the variation in cell counts that occurs during maintenance and growth of cell cultures. Data show that vaccine stored at elevated temperatures results in reduced spike protein expression. Also, maintaining the vaccine in ultracold conditions or exposing the vaccine to freeze-thaw cycles had less effect on the vaccine's ability to produce the antigen in mammalian cells. We describe the use of IDMS as an antibody-free means to accurately quantify expressed protein from mammalian cells transfected with mRNA vaccine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul J Branham
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, 30341, USA
| | - Hans C Cooper
- National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, 30341, USA
| | - Yulanda M Williamson
- National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, 30341, USA
| | - Fabio N Najjar
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, 30341, USA
| | - William J H Sutton
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, 30341, USA
| | - Carrie L Pierce-Ruiz
- National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, 30341, USA
| | - John R Barr
- National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, 30341, USA
| | - Tracie L Williams
- National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, 30341, USA.
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20
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Young H, He Y, Joo B, Ferguson S, Demko A, Butterfield SK, Lowe J, Mjema NF, Sheth V, Whitehead L, Ruiz-Echevarria MJ, Wilhelm S. Toward the Scalable, Rapid, Reproducible, and Cost-Effective Synthesis of Personalized Nanomedicines at the Point of Care. NANO LETTERS 2024; 24:920-928. [PMID: 38207109 PMCID: PMC11211002 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.3c04171] [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] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
Organic nanoparticles are used in nanomedicine, including for cancer treatment and some types of COVID-19 vaccines. Here, we demonstrate the scalable, rapid, reproducible, and cost-effective synthesis of three model organic nanoparticle formulations relevant to nanomedicine applications. We employed a custom-made, low-cost fluid mixer device constructed from a commercially available three-dimensional printer. We investigated how systematically changing aqueous and organic volumetric flow rate ratios determined liposome, polymer nanoparticle, and solid lipid nanoparticle sizes, size distributions, and payload encapsulation efficiencies. By manipulating inlet volumes, we synthesized organic nanoparticles with encapsulation efficiencies approaching 100% for RNA-based payloads. The synthesized organic nanoparticles were safe and effective at the cell culture level, as demonstrated by various assays. Such cost-effective synthesis approaches could potentially increase the accessibility to clinically relevant organic nanoparticle formulations for personalized nanomedicine applications at the point of care, especially in nonhospital and low-resource settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hamilton Young
- Stephenson School of Biomedical Engineering, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma 73019, United States
| | - Yuxin He
- Stephenson School of Biomedical Engineering, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma 73019, United States
| | - Bryan Joo
- Stephenson School of Biomedical Engineering, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma 73019, United States
| | - Sam Ferguson
- Stephenson School of Biomedical Engineering, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma 73019, United States
| | - Amberlynn Demko
- Stephenson School of Biomedical Engineering, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma 73019, United States
| | - Sarah K Butterfield
- Stephenson School of Biomedical Engineering, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma 73019, United States
| | - James Lowe
- Stephenson School of Biomedical Engineering, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma 73019, United States
| | - Nathan F Mjema
- Stephenson School of Biomedical Engineering, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma 73019, United States
| | - Vinit Sheth
- Stephenson School of Biomedical Engineering, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma 73019, United States
| | - Luke Whitehead
- Stephenson School of Biomedical Engineering, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma 73019, United States
| | - Maria J Ruiz-Echevarria
- Department of Pathology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73104, United States
- Stephenson Cancer Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73104, United States
| | - Stefan Wilhelm
- Stephenson School of Biomedical Engineering, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma 73019, United States
- Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Science, and Technology (IBEST), Norman, Oklahoma 73019, United States
- Stephenson Cancer Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73104, United States
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21
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Choi KC, Lee DH, Lee JW, Lee JS, Lee YK, Choi MJ, Jeong HY, Kim MW, Lee CG, Park YS. Novel Lipid Nanoparticles Stable and Efficient for mRNA Transfection to Antigen-Presenting Cells. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:1388. [PMID: 38338667 PMCID: PMC10855810 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25031388] [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: 01/03/2024] [Revised: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 01/21/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
mRNA vaccines have emerged as a pivotal tool in combating COVID-19, offering an advanced approach to immunization. A key challenge with these vaccines is their need for extremely-low-temperature storage, which affects their stability and shelf life. Our research addresses this issue by enhancing the stability of mRNA vaccines through a novel cationic lipid, O,O'-dimyristyl-N-lysyl aspartate (DMKD). DMKD effectively binds with mRNA, improving vaccine stability. We also integrated phosphatidylserine (PS) into the formulation to boost immune response by promoting the uptake of these nanoparticles by immune cells. Our findings reveal that DMKD-PS nanoparticles maintain structural integrity under long-term refrigeration and effectively protect mRNA. When tested, these nanoparticles containing green fluorescent protein (GFP) mRNA outperformed other commercial lipid nanoparticles in protein expression, both in immune cells (RAW 264.7 mouse macrophage) and non-immune cells (CT26 mouse colorectal carcinoma cells). Importantly, in vivo studies show that DMKD-PS nanoparticles are safely eliminated from the body within 48 h. The results suggest that DMKD-PS nanoparticles present a promising alternative for mRNA vaccine delivery, enhancing both the stability and effectiveness of these vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kang Chan Choi
- Department of Biomedical Laboratory Science, Yonsei University, Wonju 26493, Republic of Korea; (K.C.C.); (D.H.L.); (J.W.L.); (Y.K.L.); (C.-G.L.)
| | - Do Hyun Lee
- Department of Biomedical Laboratory Science, Yonsei University, Wonju 26493, Republic of Korea; (K.C.C.); (D.H.L.); (J.W.L.); (Y.K.L.); (C.-G.L.)
| | - Ji Won Lee
- Department of Biomedical Laboratory Science, Yonsei University, Wonju 26493, Republic of Korea; (K.C.C.); (D.H.L.); (J.W.L.); (Y.K.L.); (C.-G.L.)
| | - Jin Suk Lee
- Regeneration Medicine Research Center, Yonsei University Wonju College of Medicine, Wonju 26426, Republic of Korea;
| | - Yeon Kyung Lee
- Department of Biomedical Laboratory Science, Yonsei University, Wonju 26493, Republic of Korea; (K.C.C.); (D.H.L.); (J.W.L.); (Y.K.L.); (C.-G.L.)
| | - Moon Jung Choi
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Brown University and Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, RI 02903, USA;
| | - Hwa Yeon Jeong
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea;
| | - Min Woo Kim
- Division of Breast Surgery, Department of Surgery, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea;
| | - Chang-Gun Lee
- Department of Biomedical Laboratory Science, Yonsei University, Wonju 26493, Republic of Korea; (K.C.C.); (D.H.L.); (J.W.L.); (Y.K.L.); (C.-G.L.)
| | - Yong Serk Park
- Department of Biomedical Laboratory Science, Yonsei University, Wonju 26493, Republic of Korea; (K.C.C.); (D.H.L.); (J.W.L.); (Y.K.L.); (C.-G.L.)
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22
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Zhang B, Sim WK, Shen TL, Lim SK. Engineered EVs with pathogen proteins: promising vaccine alternatives to LNP-mRNA vaccines. J Biomed Sci 2024; 31:9. [PMID: 38233833 DOI: 10.1186/s12929-024-01000-1] [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: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 01/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are tiny, lipid membrane-bound structures that are released by most cells. They play a vital role in facilitating intercellular communication by delivering bioactive cargoes to recipient cells and triggering cellular as well as biological responses. EVs have enormous potential for therapeutic applications as native or engineered exosomes. Native EVs are naturally released by cells without undergoing any modifications to either the exosomes or the cells that secrete them. In contrast, engineered EVs have been deliberately modified post-secretion or through genetic engineering of the secreting cells to alter their composition. Here we propose that engineered EVs displaying pathogen proteins could serve as promising alternatives to lipid nanoparticle (LNP)-mRNA vaccines. By leveraging their unique characteristics, these engineered EVs have the potential to overcome certain limitations associated with LNP-mRNA vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bin Zhang
- Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology, A*STAR, 8A Biomedical Grove, Singapore, 138648, Singapore
- Paracrine Therapeutics Pte. Ltd., 10 Choa Chu Kang Grove #13-22 Sol Acres, Singapore, 688207, Singapore
| | - Wei Kian Sim
- Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology, A*STAR, 8A Biomedical Grove, Singapore, 138648, Singapore
- Paracrine Therapeutics Pte. Ltd., 10 Choa Chu Kang Grove #13-22 Sol Acres, Singapore, 688207, Singapore
| | - Tang-Long Shen
- Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 10617, Taiwan
- Center for Biotehnology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 10617, Taiwan
| | - Sai Kiang Lim
- Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology, A*STAR, 8A Biomedical Grove, Singapore, 138648, Singapore.
- Paracrine Therapeutics Pte. Ltd., 10 Choa Chu Kang Grove #13-22 Sol Acres, Singapore, 688207, Singapore.
- Department of Surgery, YLL School of Medicine, National University of Singapore (NUS), Lower Kent Ridge Road, Singapore, 119074, Singapore.
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23
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Choe JA, Brinkman HM, Lee JS, Murphy WL. Optimized biomimetic minerals maintain activity of mRNA complexes after long term storage. Acta Biomater 2024; 174:428-436. [PMID: 38061679 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2023.11.044] [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: 10/09/2023] [Revised: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
mRNA therapeutics can be readily designed, manufactured, and brought to scale, as demonstrated by widespread global vaccination against COVID-19. However, mRNA therapies require cold chain shipment and storage from manufacturing to administration, which may limit them to affluent communities. This problem could be addressed by mimicking the known ability of mineralized fossils to durably stabilize nucleic acids under extreme conditions. We synthesized and screened 40 calcium-phosphate minerals for their ability to store and maintain the activity of lyophilized mRNA complexes. The optimal mineral formulation incorporated mRNA complexes with high efficiency (77 %), and increased mRNA transfection efficiency by 5.6-fold. Lyophilized mRNA complexes stored with the optimized mineral formulation for 6 months at 25 °C were 3.2-fold more active than those stored with state-of-the-art excipients, but without a mineral. mRNA complexes stored with minerals at room temperature did not decline in transfection efficacy from 3 days to 6 months of storage, indicating that minerals can durably maintain activity of therapeutic mRNA complexes without cold chain storage. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Therapeutic mRNA, such as mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, require extensive cold chain storage that limits their general application. This work screened a library of minerals to maintain the activity of mRNA complexes with freeze-drying. The optimized mineral was able to maintain mRNA activity up to 6 months of storage at room temperature outperforming current methods of freeze-drying therapeutic mRNA complexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua A Choe
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Madison, WI, USA; Department of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation, Madison, WI, USA; Medical Scientist Training Program, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Hannah M Brinkman
- Department of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation, Madison, WI, USA; Comparative Biomedical Sciences Program, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Jae Sung Lee
- Department of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation, Madison, WI, USA
| | - William L Murphy
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Madison, WI, USA; Department of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation, Madison, WI, USA.
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24
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Jones CH, Androsavich JR, So N, Jenkins MP, MacCormack D, Prigodich A, Welch V, True JM, Dolsten M. Breaking the mold with RNA-a "RNAissance" of life science. NPJ Genom Med 2024; 9:2. [PMID: 38195675 PMCID: PMC10776758 DOI: 10.1038/s41525-023-00387-4] [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: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2024] Open
Abstract
In the past decade, RNA therapeutics have gone from being a promising concept to one of the most exciting frontiers in healthcare and pharmaceuticals. The field is now entering what many call a renaissance or "RNAissance" which is being fueled by advances in genetic engineering and delivery systems to take on more ambitious development efforts. However, this renaissance is occurring at an unprecedented pace, which will require a different way of thinking if the field is to live up to its full potential. Recognizing this need, this article will provide a forward-looking perspective on the field of RNA medical products and the potential long-term innovations and policy shifts enabled by this revolutionary and game-changing technological platform.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Nina So
- Pfizer, 66 Hudson Boulevard, New York, NY, 10018, USA
| | | | | | | | - Verna Welch
- Pfizer, 66 Hudson Boulevard, New York, NY, 10018, USA
| | - Jane M True
- Pfizer, 66 Hudson Boulevard, New York, NY, 10018, USA.
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25
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Marton HL, Bhatt A, Sagona AP, Kilbride P, Gibson MI. Screening of Hydrophilic Polymers Reveals Broad Activity in Protecting Phages during Cryopreservation. Biomacromolecules 2024; 25:413-424. [PMID: 38124388 PMCID: PMC10777348 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.3c01042] [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] [Received: 09/28/2023] [Revised: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/01/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Bacteriophages have many biotechnological and therapeutic applications, but as with other biologics, cryopreservation is essential for storage and distribution. Macromolecular cryoprotectants are emerging for a range of biologics, but the chemical space for polymer-mediated phage cryopreservation has not been explored. Here we screen the cryoprotective effect of a panel of polymers against five distinct phages, showing that nearly all the tested polymers provide a benefit. Exceptions were poly(methacrylic acid) and poly(acrylic acid), which can inhibit phage-infection with bacteria, making post-thaw recovery challenging to assess. A particular benefit of a polymeric cryopreservation formulation is that the polymers do not function as carbon sources for the phage hosts (bacteria) and hence do not interfere with post-thaw measurements. This work shows that phages are amenable to protection with hydrophilic polymers and opens up new opportunities for advanced formulations for future phage therapies and to take advantage of the additional functionality brought by the polymers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huba L. Marton
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, United Kingdom
| | - Apoorva Bhatt
- School
of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, United Kingdom
- Institute
of Microbiology and Infection, University
of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, United
Kingdom
| | - Antonia P. Sagona
- School
of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, United Kingdom
| | - Peter Kilbride
- Asymptote,
Cytiva, Chivers Way, Cambridge CB24 9BZ, United Kingdom
| | - Matthew I. Gibson
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, United Kingdom
- Warwick
Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, United Kingdom
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL, United Kingdom
- Manchester
Institute of Biotechnology, University of
Manchester, 131 Princess
Street, Manchester, M1
7DN, United Kingdom
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26
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Kreofsky NW, Roy P, Brown ME, Perez U, Leighton RE, Frontiera RR, Reineke TM. Cinchona Alkaloid Polymers Demonstrate Highly Efficient Gene Delivery Dependent on Stereochemistry, Methoxy Substitution, and Length. Biomacromolecules 2024; 25:486-501. [PMID: 38150323 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.3c01099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2023]
Abstract
Nucleic acid delivery with cationic polymers is a promising alternative to expensive viral-based methods; however, it often suffers from a lower performance. Herein, we present a highly efficient delivery system based on cinchona alkaloid natural products copolymerized with 2-hydroxyethyl acrylate. Cinchona alkaloids are an attractive monomer class for gene delivery applications, given their ability to bind to DNA via both electrostatics and intercalation. To uncover the structure-activity profile of the system, four structurally similar cinchona alkaloids were incorporated into polymers: quinine, quinidine, cinchonine, and cinchonidine. These polymers differed in the chain length, the presence or absence of a pendant methoxy group, and stereochemistry, all of which were found to alter gene delivery performance and the ways in which the polymers overcome biological barriers to transfection. Longer polymers that contained the methoxy-bearing cinchona alkaloids (i.e., quinine and quinidine) were found to have the best performance. These polymers exhibited the tightest DNA binding, largest and most abundant DNA-polymer complexes, and best endosomal escape thanks to their increased buffering capacity and closest nuclear proximity of the payload. Overall, this work highlights the remarkable efficiency of polymer systems that incorporate cinchona alkaloid natural products while demonstrating the profound impact that small structural changes can have on overcoming biological hurdles associated with gene delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas W Kreofsky
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Punarbasu Roy
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Mary E Brown
- University Imaging Centers, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Ulises Perez
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Ryan E Leighton
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Renee R Frontiera
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Theresa M Reineke
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
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27
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Hu C, Bai Y, Liu J, Wang Y, He Q, Zhang X, Cheng F, Xu M, Mao Q, Liang Z. Research progress on the quality control of mRNA vaccines. Expert Rev Vaccines 2024; 23:570-583. [PMID: 38733272 DOI: 10.1080/14760584.2024.2354251] [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: 03/22/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The mRNA vaccine technologies have progressed rapidly in recent years. The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the application of mRNA vaccines, with research and development and clinical trials underway for many vaccines. Application of the quality by design (QbD) framework to mRNA vaccine development and establishing standardized quality control protocols for mRNA vaccines are essential for the continued development of high-quality mRNA vaccines. AREAS COVERED mRNA vaccines include linear mRNA, self-amplifying mRNA, and circular RNA vaccines. This article summarizes the progress of research on quality control of these three types of vaccines and presents associated challenges and considerations. EXPERT OPINION Although there has been rapid progress in research on linear mRNA vaccines, their degradation patterns remain unclear. In addition, standardized assays for key impurities, such as residual dsRNA and T7 RNA polymerase, are still lacking. For self-amplifying mRNA vaccines, a key focus should be control of stability in vivo and in vitro. For circular RNA vaccines, standardized assays, and reference standards for determining degree of circularization should be established and optimized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chaoying Hu
- Institute of Biological Products, Division of Hepatitis and Enterovirus Vaccines, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China
- National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Key Laboratory of Research on Quality and Standardization of Biotech Products, Beijing, China
- National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Evaluation of Biological Products, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Regulatory Science, Institute of Biological Products, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China
| | - Yu Bai
- Institute of Biological Products, Division of Hepatitis and Enterovirus Vaccines, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China
- Changping Laboratory, Beijing, China
| | - Jianyang Liu
- Institute of Biological Products, Division of Hepatitis and Enterovirus Vaccines, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China
| | - Yiping Wang
- Institute of Biological Products, Division of Hepatitis and Enterovirus Vaccines, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China
- National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Key Laboratory of Research on Quality and Standardization of Biotech Products, Beijing, China
- National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Evaluation of Biological Products, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Regulatory Science, Institute of Biological Products, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China
| | - Qian He
- Institute of Biological Products, Division of Hepatitis and Enterovirus Vaccines, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China
- National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Key Laboratory of Research on Quality and Standardization of Biotech Products, Beijing, China
- National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Evaluation of Biological Products, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Regulatory Science, Institute of Biological Products, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China
| | - Xuanxuan Zhang
- Institute of Biological Products, Division of Hepatitis and Enterovirus Vaccines, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China
- National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Key Laboratory of Research on Quality and Standardization of Biotech Products, Beijing, China
- National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Evaluation of Biological Products, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Regulatory Science, Institute of Biological Products, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China
| | - Feiran Cheng
- Institute of Biological Products, Division of Hepatitis and Enterovirus Vaccines, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China
- National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Key Laboratory of Research on Quality and Standardization of Biotech Products, Beijing, China
- National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Evaluation of Biological Products, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Regulatory Science, Institute of Biological Products, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China
| | - Miao Xu
- Institute of Biological Products, Division of Hepatitis and Enterovirus Vaccines, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China
- National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Key Laboratory of Research on Quality and Standardization of Biotech Products, Beijing, China
- National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Evaluation of Biological Products, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Regulatory Science, Institute of Biological Products, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China
| | - Qunying Mao
- Institute of Biological Products, Division of Hepatitis and Enterovirus Vaccines, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China
- National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Key Laboratory of Research on Quality and Standardization of Biotech Products, Beijing, China
- National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Evaluation of Biological Products, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Regulatory Science, Institute of Biological Products, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China
| | - Zhenglun Liang
- Institute of Biological Products, Division of Hepatitis and Enterovirus Vaccines, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China
- National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Key Laboratory of Research on Quality and Standardization of Biotech Products, Beijing, China
- National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Evaluation of Biological Products, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Regulatory Science, Institute of Biological Products, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China
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28
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Jia Y, Wang X, Li L, Li F, Zhang J, Liang XJ. Lipid Nanoparticles Optimized for Targeting and Release of Nucleic Acid. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2024; 36:e2305300. [PMID: 37547955 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202305300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2023] [Revised: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023]
Abstract
Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) are currently the most promising clinical nucleic acids drug delivery vehicles. LNPs prevent the degradation of cargo nucleic acids during blood circulation. Upon entry into the cell, specific components of the lipid nanoparticles can promote the endosomal escape of nucleic acids. These are the basic properties of lipid nanoparticles as nucleic acid carriers. As LNPs exhibit hepatic aggregation characteristics, enhancing targeting out of the liver is a crucial way to improve LNPs administrated in vivo. Meanwhile, endosomal escape of nucleic acids loaded in LNPs is often considered inadequate, and therefore, much effort is devoted to enhancing the intracellular release efficiency of nucleic acids. Here, different strategies to efficiently deliver nucleic acid delivery from LNPs are concluded and their mechanisms are investigated. In addition, based on the information on LNPs that are in clinical trials or have completed clinical trials, the issues that are necessary to be approached in the clinical translation of LNPs are discussed, which it is hoped will shed light on the development of LNP nucleic acid drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaru Jia
- College of Chemistry and Materials Science, Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Diagnosis of the Ministry of Education, Chemical Biology Key Laboratory of HeBei University, Baoding, 071002, P. R. China
- CAS Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology of China, No. 11, First North Road, Zhongguancun, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China
| | - Xiuguang Wang
- College of Chemistry and Materials Science, Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Diagnosis of the Ministry of Education, Chemical Biology Key Laboratory of HeBei University, Baoding, 071002, P. R. China
| | - Luwei Li
- College of Chemistry and Materials Science, Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Diagnosis of the Ministry of Education, Chemical Biology Key Laboratory of HeBei University, Baoding, 071002, P. R. China
| | - Fangzhou Li
- CAS Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology of China, No. 11, First North Road, Zhongguancun, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China
| | - Jinchao Zhang
- College of Chemistry and Materials Science, Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Diagnosis of the Ministry of Education, Chemical Biology Key Laboratory of HeBei University, Baoding, 071002, P. R. China
| | - Xing-Jie Liang
- College of Chemistry and Materials Science, Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Diagnosis of the Ministry of Education, Chemical Biology Key Laboratory of HeBei University, Baoding, 071002, P. R. China
- CAS Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology of China, No. 11, First North Road, Zhongguancun, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, P. R. China
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29
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Pan S, Fan R, Han B, Tong A, Guo G. The potential of mRNA vaccines in cancer nanomedicine and immunotherapy. Trends Immunol 2024; 45:20-31. [PMID: 38142147 DOI: 10.1016/j.it.2023.11.003] [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: 10/12/2023] [Revised: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 12/25/2023]
Abstract
Owing to their outstanding performance against COVID-19, mRNA vaccines have brought great hope for combating various incurable diseases, including cancer. Differences in the encoded proteins result in different molecular and cellular mechanisms of mRNA vaccines. With the rapid development of nanotechnology and molecular medicine, personalized antigen-encoding mRNA vaccines that enhance antigen presentation can trigger effective immune responses and prevent off-target toxicities. Herein, we review new insights into the influence of encoded antigens, cytokines, and other functional proteins on the mechanisms of mRNA vaccines. We also highlight the importance of delivery systems and chemical modifications for mRNA translation efficiency, stability, and targeting, and we discuss the potential problems and application prospects of mRNA vaccines as versatile tools for combating cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shulin Pan
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Rangrang Fan
- Department of Neurosurgery and Institute of Neurosurgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Bo Han
- School of Pharmacy, Shihezi University, and Key Laboratory of Xinjiang Phytomedicine Resource and Utilization, Ministry of Education, Shihezi, 832002, China
| | - Aiping Tong
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Gang Guo
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
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30
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Yan W, Yu W, Shen L, Xiao L, Qi J, Hu T. A SARS-CoV-2 nanoparticle vaccine based on chemical conjugation of loxoribine and SpyCatcher/SpyTag. Int J Biol Macromol 2023; 253:127159. [PMID: 37778577 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.127159] [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: 08/21/2023] [Revised: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023]
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 is a particularly transmissible virus that renders the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic and global severe respiratory distress syndrome. Protein-based vaccines hold great advantages to build the herd immunity for their specificity, effectiveness, and safety. Receptor-binding domain (RBD) of SARS-CoV-2 is an appealing antigen for vaccine development. However, adjuvants and delivery system are necessitated to enhance the immunogenicity of RBD. In the present study, RBD was chemically conjugated with loxoribine and SpyCatcher/SpyTag, followed by assembly to form a nanoparticle vaccine. Loxoribine (a TLR7/8 agonist) acted as an adjuvant, and nanoparticles functioned as delivery system for the antigen and the adjuvant. The nanoparticle vaccine elicited high RBD-specific antibody titers, high neutralizing antibody titer, and strong ACE2-blocking activity. It stimulated high splenic levels of Th1-type cytokines (IFN-γ and IL-2) and Th2-type cytokines (IL-4 and IL-5) in BALB/c mice. It promoted the splenocyte proliferation, enhanced the CD4+ and CD8+ T cell percentage and stimulated the maturation of dendritic cells. The vaccine did not render apparent toxicity to the organs of mice. Thus, the nanoparticle vaccine was of potential to act as a preliminarily safe and effective candidate against SARS-CoV-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenying Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Weili Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Lijuan Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Lucheng Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Jinming Qi
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China.
| | - Tao Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China.
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31
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Huang W, Paul D, Calin GA, Bayraktar R. miR-142: A Master Regulator in Hematological Malignancies and Therapeutic Opportunities. Cells 2023; 13:84. [PMID: 38201290 PMCID: PMC10778542 DOI: 10.3390/cells13010084] [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: 09/25/2023] [Revised: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a type of non-coding RNA whose dysregulation is frequently associated with the onset and progression of human cancers. miR-142, an ultra-conserved miRNA with both active -3p and -5p mature strands and wide-ranging physiological targets, has been the subject of countless studies over the years. Due to its preferential expression in hematopoietic cells, miR-142 has been found to be associated with numerous types of lymphomas and leukemias. This review elucidates the multifaceted role of miR-142 in human physiology, its influence on hematopoiesis and hematopoietic cells, and its intriguing involvement in exosome-mediated miR-142 transport. Moreover, we offer a comprehensive exploration of the genetic and molecular landscape of the miR-142 genomic locus, highlighting its mutations and dysregulation within hematological malignancies. Finally, we discuss potential avenues for harnessing the therapeutic potential of miR-142 in the context of hematological malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wilson Huang
- Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (W.H.); (G.A.C.)
| | - Doru Paul
- Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA;
| | - George A. Calin
- Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (W.H.); (G.A.C.)
- Center for RNA Interference and Non-Coding RNAs, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Department of Leukemia, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Recep Bayraktar
- Center for RNA Interference and Non-Coding RNAs, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
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Ao D, He X, Liu J, Xu L. Strategies for the development and approval of COVID-19 vaccines and therapeutics in the post-pandemic period. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2023; 8:466. [PMID: 38129394 PMCID: PMC10739883 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-023-01724-w] [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: 08/28/2023] [Revised: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
The spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has resulted in significant casualties and put immense strain on public health systems worldwide, leading to economic recession and social unrest. In response, various prevention and control strategies have been implemented globally, including vaccine and drug development and the promotion of preventive measures. Implementing these strategies has effectively curbed the transmission of the virus, reduced infection rates, and gradually restored normal social and economic activities. However, the mutations of SARS-CoV-2 have led to inevitable infections and reinfections, and the number of deaths continues to rise. Therefore, there is still a need to improve existing prevention and control strategies, mainly focusing on developing novel vaccines and drugs, expediting medical authorization processes, and keeping epidemic surveillance. These measures are crucial to combat the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic and achieve sustained, long-term prevention, management, and disease control. Here, we summarized the characteristics of existing COVID-19 vaccines and drugs and suggested potential future directions for their development. Furthermore, we discussed the COVID-19-related policies implemented over the past years and presented some strategies for the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danyi Ao
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, 610041, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
| | - Xuemei He
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, 610041, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
| | - Jian Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, 610041, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
| | - Li Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, 610041, Sichuan, People's Republic of China.
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Wang C, Zhao C, Wang W, Liu X, Deng H. Biomimetic noncationic lipid nanoparticles for mRNA delivery. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2311276120. [PMID: 38079547 PMCID: PMC10743463 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2311276120] [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: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Although the tremendous progress has been made for mRNA delivery based on classical cationic carriers, the excess cationic charge density of lipids was necessary to compress mRNA through electrostatic interaction, and with it comes inevitably adverse events including the highly inflammatory and cytotoxic effects. How to develop the disruptive technologies to overcome cationic nature of lipids remains a major challenge for safe and efficient mRNA delivery. Here, we prepared noncationic thiourea lipids nanoparticles (NC-TNP) to compress mRNA by strong hydrogen bonds interaction between thiourea groups of NC-TNP and the phosphate groups of mRNA, abandoning the hidebound and traditional electrostatic force to construct mRNA-cationic lipids formulation. NC-TNP was a delivery system for mRNA with simple, convenient, and repeatable preparation technology and showed negligible inflammatory and cytotoxicity side effects. Furthermore, we found that NC-TNP could escape the recycling pathway to inhibit the egress of internalized nanoparticles from the intracellular compartment to the extracellular milieu which was a common fact in mRNA-LNP (lipid nanoparticles) formulation. Therefore, NC-TNP-encapsulated mRNA showed higher gene transfection efficiency in vitro and in vivo than mRNA-LNP formulation. Unexpectedly, NC-TNP showed spleen targeting delivery ability with higher accumulation ratio (spleen/liver), compared with traditional LNP. Spleen-targeting NC-TNP with mRNA exhibited high mRNA-encoded antigen expression in spleen and elicited robust immune responses. Overall, our work establishes a proof of concept for the construction of a noncationic system for mRNA delivery with good inflammatory safety profiles, high gene transfection efficiency, and spleen-targeting delivery to induce permanent and robust humoral and cell-mediated immunity for disease treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Changrong Wang
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University and Engineering Research Center of Molecular and Neuro Imaging, Ministry of Education, Xi’an710126, China
| | - Caiyan Zhao
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University and Engineering Research Center of Molecular and Neuro Imaging, Ministry of Education, Xi’an710126, China
| | - Weipeng Wang
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University and Engineering Research Center of Molecular and Neuro Imaging, Ministry of Education, Xi’an710126, China
| | - Xiaoqing Liu
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University and Engineering Research Center of Molecular and Neuro Imaging, Ministry of Education, Xi’an710126, China
| | - Hongzhang Deng
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University and Engineering Research Center of Molecular and Neuro Imaging, Ministry of Education, Xi’an710126, China
- State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, Hunan University, Changsha410082, China
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Fan T, Zhang M, Yang J, Zhu Z, Cao W, Dong C. Therapeutic cancer vaccines: advancements, challenges, and prospects. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2023; 8:450. [PMID: 38086815 PMCID: PMC10716479 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-023-01674-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2023] [Revised: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
With the development and regulatory approval of immune checkpoint inhibitors and adoptive cell therapies, cancer immunotherapy has undergone a profound transformation over the past decades. Recently, therapeutic cancer vaccines have shown promise by eliciting de novo T cell responses targeting tumor antigens, including tumor-associated antigens and tumor-specific antigens. The objective was to amplify and diversify the intrinsic repertoire of tumor-specific T cells. However, the complete realization of these capabilities remains an ongoing pursuit. Therefore, we provide an overview of the current landscape of cancer vaccines in this review. The range of antigen selection, antigen delivery systems development the strategic nuances underlying effective antigen presentation have pioneered cancer vaccine design. Furthermore, this review addresses the current status of clinical trials and discusses their strategies, focusing on tumor-specific immunogenicity and anti-tumor efficacy assessment. However, current clinical attempts toward developing cancer vaccines have not yielded breakthrough clinical outcomes due to significant challenges, including tumor immune microenvironment suppression, optimal candidate identification, immune response evaluation, and vaccine manufacturing acceleration. Therefore, the field is poised to overcome hurdles and improve patient outcomes in the future by acknowledging these clinical complexities and persistently striving to surmount inherent constraints.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Fan
- Department of Oncology, East Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Mingna Zhang
- Postgraduate Training Base, Shanghai East Hospital, Jinzhou Medical University, Shanghai, 200120, China
| | - Jingxian Yang
- Department of Oncology, East Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhounan Zhu
- Department of Oncology, East Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Wanlu Cao
- Department of Oncology, East Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
| | - Chunyan Dong
- Department of Oncology, East Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
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Reinhart AG, Osterwald A, Ringler P, Leiser Y, Lauer ME, Martin RE, Ullmer C, Schumacher F, Korn C, Keller M. Investigations into mRNA Lipid Nanoparticles Shelf-Life Stability under Nonfrozen Conditions. Mol Pharm 2023; 20:6492-6503. [PMID: 37975733 DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.3c00956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
mRNA LNPs can experience a decline in activity over short periods (ranging from weeks to months). As a result, they require frozen storage and transportation conditions to maintain their full functionality when utilized. Currently approved commercially available mRNA LNP vaccines also necessitate frozen storage and supply chain management. Overcoming this significant inconvenience in the future is crucial to reducing unnecessary costs and challenges associated with storage and transport. In this study, our objective was to illuminate the potential time frame for nonfrozen storage and transportation conditions of mRNA LNPs without compromising their activity. To achieve this goal, we conducted a stability assessment and an in vitro cell culture delivery study involving five mRNA LNPs. These LNPs were constructed by using a standard formulation similar to that employed in the three commercially available LNP formulations. Among these formulations, we selected five structurally diverse ionizable lipids─C12-200, CKK-E12, MC3, SM-102, and lipid 23─from the existing literature. We incorporated these lipids into a standard LNP formulation, keeping all other components identical. The LNPs, carrying mRNA payloads, were synthesized by using microfluidic mixing technology. We evaluated the shelf life stability of these LNPs over a span of 9 weeks at temperatures of 2-8, 25, and 40 °C, utilizing an array of analytical techniques. Our findings indicated minimal impact on the hydrodynamic diameter, zeta potential, encapsulation efficiency, and polydispersity of all LNPs across the various temperatures over the studied period. The RiboGreen assay analysis of LNPs showed consistent mRNA contents over several weeks at various nonfrozen storage temperatures, leading to the incorrect assumption of intact and functional LNPs. This misunderstanding was rectified by the significant differences observed in EGFP protein expression in an in vitro cell culture (using HEK293 cells) across the five LNPs. Specifically, only LNP 1 (C12-200) and LNP 4 (SM-102) exhibited high levels of EGFP expression at the start (T0), with over 90% of HEK293 cells transfected and mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) levels exceeding 1. Interestingly, LNP 1 (C12-200) maintained largely unchanged levels of in vitro activity over 11 weeks when stored at both 2-8 and 25 °C. In contrast, LNP 4 (SM-102) retained its functionality when stored at 2-8 °C over 11 weeks but experienced a gradual decline of in vitro activity when stored at room temperature over the same period. Importantly, we observed distinct LNP architectures for the five formulations through cryo-EM imaging. This highlights the necessity for a deeper comprehension of structure-activity relationships within these complex nanoparticle structures. Enhancing our understanding in this regard is vital for overcoming storage and stability limitations, ultimately facilitating the broader application of this technology beyond vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne-Gaëlle Reinhart
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Therapeutic Modalities, pCMC, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Grenzacherstrasse 124, Basel 4070, Switzerland
| | - Anja Osterwald
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, DTA Ophthalmology I2O, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Grenzacherstrasse 124, Basel 4070, Switzerland
| | - Philippe Ringler
- Biozentrum, University of Basel, Spitalstrasse 41, Basel CH - 4056, Switzerland
| | - Yael Leiser
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Therapeutic Modalities, pCMC, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Grenzacherstrasse 124, Basel 4070, Switzerland
| | - Matthias E Lauer
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Therapeutic Modalities, Lead Discovery, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Grenzacherstrasse 124, Basel 4070, Switzerland
| | - Rainer E Martin
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Therapeutic Modalities, Medicinal Chemistry, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Grenzacherstrasse 124, Basel 4070, Switzerland
| | - Christoph Ullmer
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, DTA Ophthalmology I2O, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Grenzacherstrasse 124, Basel 4070, Switzerland
| | - Felix Schumacher
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Therapeutic Modalities, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Grenzacherstrasse 124, Basel 4070, Switzerland
| | - Claudia Korn
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, DTA Ophthalmology I2O, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Grenzacherstrasse 124, Basel 4070, Switzerland
| | - Michael Keller
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Therapeutic Modalities, pCMC, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Grenzacherstrasse 124, Basel 4070, Switzerland
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Du Y, Li J, Xu W, Cote A, Lay-Fortenbery A, Suryanarayanan R, Su Y. Solid-State NMR Spectroscopy to Probe State and Phase Transitions in Frozen Solutions. Mol Pharm 2023; 20:6380-6390. [PMID: 37947441 DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.3c00764] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
Freezing is commonly encountered during the processing and storage of biomacromolecule products. Therefore, understanding the phase and state transitions in pharmaceutical frozen solutions is crucial for the rational development of biopharmaceuticals. Solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (ssNMR) was used to analyze solutions containing sodium phosphate buffer, histidine, and trehalose. Upon freezing, crystallization of disodium phosphate hydrogen dodecahydrate (Na2HPO4·12H2O, DPDH) and histidine was identified using 31P and 13C ssNMR, respectively, and confirmed by synchrotron X-ray diffractometry (SXRD). Using histidine as a molecular probe and based on the chemical shifts of atoms of interest, the pH of the freeze concentrate was measured. The unfrozen water content in freeze concentrates was quantified by 1H single pulse experiments. 13C-insensitive nuclei enhancement by polarization transfer (INEPT) and cross-polarization (CP) experiments were used as orthogonal tools to characterize the solutes in a "mobile" and a more "solid-like" state in the freeze-concentrated solutions, respectively. The above analyses were applied to a commercial monoclonal antibody (mAb) formulation of dupilumab. This work further establishes ssNMR spectroscopy as a highly capable biophysical tool to investigate the attributes of biopharmaceuticals and thereby provide insights into process optimization and formulation development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong Du
- Analytical Research and Development, Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, New Jersey 07065, United States
| | - Jinghan Li
- Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Wei Xu
- Analytical Research and Development, Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, New Jersey 07065, United States
| | - Aaron Cote
- Biologics Process Research and Development, Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, New Jersey 07033, United States
| | - Ashley Lay-Fortenbery
- Pharmaceutical Sciences and Clinical Supply, Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, New Jersey 07033, United States
| | - Raj Suryanarayanan
- Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Yongchao Su
- Analytical Research and Development, Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, New Jersey 07065, United States
- Pharmaceutical Sciences and Clinical Supply, Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, New Jersey 07033, United States
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37
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Xu Y, Zheng Y, Ding X, Wang C, Hua B, Hong S, Huang X, Lin J, Zhang P, Chen W. PEGylated pH-responsive peptide-mRNA nano self-assemblies enhance the pulmonary delivery efficiency and safety of aerosolized mRNA. Drug Deliv 2023; 30:2219870. [PMID: 37336779 DOI: 10.1080/10717544.2023.2219870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2023] [Revised: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Inhalable messenger RNA (mRNA) has demonstrated great potential in therapy and vaccine development to confront various lung diseases. However, few gene vectors could overcome the airway mucus and intracellular barriers for successful pulmonary mRNA delivery. Apart from the low pulmonary gene delivery efficiency, nonnegligible toxicity is another common problem that impedes the clinical application of many non-viral vectors. PEGylated cationic peptide-based mRNA delivery vector is a prospective approach to enhance the pulmonary delivery efficacy and safety of aerosolized mRNA by oral inhalation administration. In this study, different lengths of hydrophilic PEG chains were covalently linked to an amphiphilic, water-soluble pH-responsive peptide, and the peptide/mRNA nano self-assemblies were characterized by dynamic light scattering (DLS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The in vitro mRNA binding and release, cellular uptake, transfection, and cytotoxicity were studied, and finally, a proper PEGylated peptide with enhanced pulmonary mRNA delivery efficiency and improved safety in mice was identified. These results showed that a proper N-terminus PEGylation strategy using 12-monomer linear monodisperse PEG could significantly improve the mRNA transfection efficiency and biocompatibility of the non-PEGylated cationic peptide carrier, while a longer PEG chain modification adversely decreased the cellular uptake and transfection on A549 and HepG2 cells, emphasizing the importance of a proper PEG chain length selection. Moreover, the optimized PEGylated peptide showed a significantly enhanced mRNA pulmonary delivery efficiency and ameliorated safety profiles over the non-PEGylated peptide and LipofectamineTM 2000 in mice. Our results reveal that the PEGylated peptide could be a promising mRNA delivery vector candidate for inhaled mRNA vaccines and therapeutic applications for the prevention and treatment of different respiratory diseases in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingying Xu
- School of Pharmacy, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Yijing Zheng
- School of Pharmacy, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Xuqiu Ding
- School of Clinical Medicine, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Chengyan Wang
- Institute of Laboratory Animal Center, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Bin Hua
- School of Pharmacy, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Shilian Hong
- School of Pharmacy, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Xiaoman Huang
- School of Pharmacy, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Jiali Lin
- School of Pharmacy, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Peng Zhang
- Department of Pharmacy, The Third Affiliated Hospital (The Affiliated Luohu Hospital) of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Wei Chen
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Drug Target Discovery and Structural and Functional Research, School of Pharmacy, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
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Zimmermann CM, Deßloch L, Jürgens DC, Luciani P, Merkel OM. Evaluation of the effects of storage conditions on spray-dried siRNA-LNPs before and after subsequent drying. Eur J Pharm Biopharm 2023; 193:218-226. [PMID: 37956785 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejpb.2023.11.007] [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: 08/12/2023] [Revised: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
In an ideal world, pharmaceutical drugs would have infinite shelf life, no susceptibility to degradation, chemical reactions or loss of efficacy. In reality, these processes occur, however, making it desirable to extend a drugs' shelf life. Nucleic acid-based drugs are most commonly stored as aqueous suspension where they are vulnerable to microbial growth and degradation processes. Drying procedures, such as lyophilization and spray drying, help to reduce the products' residual moisture while increasing the products' shelf life and stability. The present study was designed to evaluate 90 days of storage of spray-dried siRNA-lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) at 4 °C and 25 °C. An updated Onpattro® composition modified with a positively charged helper lipid was used as the LNP carrier system. In an attempt to further reduce the residual moisture of our previously reported formulations, all LNP samples were subjected to a secondary drying step in the spray drying tower for 20 min. The measurement of physicochemical properties of spray-dried and subsequently dried LNPs resulted in sizes of 180 nm, PDI values of 0.1-0.15 and zeta potentials of + 3 mV. Spray drying resulted in residual moisture levels of 3.6-4 % and was reduced by subsequent drying to 2.8-3.1 %. Aerodynamic properties after storage showed discrepancies depending on the storage conditions. MMADs remained at 2.8 µm when stored at 4 °C, whereas an increase to 5 µm at 25 °C was observed. Subsequent drying led to sizes of 3.6-3.8 µm, independent of the storage conditions. Spray-dried LNPs maintained bioactivity resulting in > 95 % protein downregulation and confirming the lack of cytotoxic effects in a lung adenocarcinoma cell line. Furthermore, the spray-dried and subsequently dried LNPs stored for 3 months at 4 °C and 25 °C achieved up to 50 % gene silencing of the house-keeping gene GAPDH after deposition on the mucus layer of Calu-3 cells. This study confirms the stability of spray-dried and subsequently dried LNPs over at least 90 days at 4 °C and 25 °C emphasizing the potential of dry powder inhalation of RNA-loaded LNPs as a therapy option for pulmonary diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christoph M Zimmermann
- Department of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Technology and Biopharmacy, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 81377 Munich, Germany; Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bern, Freiestrasse 3, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Leonie Deßloch
- Department of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Technology and Biopharmacy, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - David C Jürgens
- Department of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Technology and Biopharmacy, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Paola Luciani
- Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bern, Freiestrasse 3, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Olivia M Merkel
- Department of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Technology and Biopharmacy, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 81377 Munich, Germany; Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Munich, Germany.
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Zhang Y, Luo J, Gui X, Zheng Y, Schaar E, Liu G, Shi J. Bioengineered nanotechnology for nucleic acid delivery. J Control Release 2023; 364:124-141. [PMID: 37879440 PMCID: PMC10838211 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2023.10.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Revised: 10/15/2023] [Accepted: 10/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023]
Abstract
Nucleic acid-based therapy has emerged as a promising therapeutic approach for treating various diseases, such as genetic disorders, cancers, and viral infections. Diverse nucleic acid delivery systems have been reported, and some, including lipid nanoparticles, have exhibited clinical success. In parallel, bioengineered nucleic acid delivery nanocarriers have also gained significant attention due to their flexible functional design and excellent biocompatibility. In this review, we summarize recent advances in bioengineered nucleic acid delivery nanocarriers, focusing on exosomes, cell membrane-derived nanovesicles, protein nanocages, and virus-like particles. We highlight their unique features, advantages for nucleic acid delivery, and biomedical applications. Furthermore, we discuss the challenges that bioengineered nanocarriers face towards clinical translation and the possible avenues for their further development. This review ultimately underlines the potential of bioengineered nanotechnology for the advancement of nucleic acid therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Vaccines for Infectious Diseases, Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory, National Innovation Platform for Industry-Education Integration in Vaccine Research, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, Center for Molecular Imaging and Translational Medicine, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China; Center for Nanomedicine and Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Jing Luo
- Department of Urology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Xiran Gui
- State Key Laboratory of Vaccines for Infectious Diseases, Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory, National Innovation Platform for Industry-Education Integration in Vaccine Research, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, Center for Molecular Imaging and Translational Medicine, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Yating Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Vaccines for Infectious Diseases, Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory, National Innovation Platform for Industry-Education Integration in Vaccine Research, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, Center for Molecular Imaging and Translational Medicine, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Eric Schaar
- Center for Nanomedicine and Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Gang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Vaccines for Infectious Diseases, Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory, National Innovation Platform for Industry-Education Integration in Vaccine Research, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, Center for Molecular Imaging and Translational Medicine, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China.
| | - Jinjun Shi
- Center for Nanomedicine and Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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40
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Williams BA, Jones CH, Welch V, True JM. Pandemic preparedness requires collaboration between governments, funders and pharma. Nat Med 2023; 29:2999-3001. [PMID: 38087114 DOI: 10.1038/s41591-023-02664-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2023]
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41
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Groël S, Menzen T, Winter G. Possibilities and limitations of α-relaxation data of amorphous freeze-dried cakes to predict long term IgG 1 antibody stability. Int J Pharm 2023; 646:123445. [PMID: 37748632 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2023.123445] [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: 06/05/2023] [Revised: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023]
Abstract
The value of correlating global α-relaxations with long term protein stability after freeze-drying is inconsistently reported. This study aims to clarify whether and to what extend the long term stability of a freeze-dried protein formulation can be predicted with this method. For this purpose, the α-relaxation parameter τβ [h] of freshly prepared freeze-dried products is obtained by isothermal microcalorimetry. The concept is, that molecular movements in the amorphous matrix are strongly reduced in cakes with longer relaxation time and the product should therefore be more resistant against aggregation. To increase τβ in comparison to a conventional freeze-drying cycle, aggressive drying cycles including structural collapse of the product as well as tempering protocols after freeze-drying are applied. The τβ values are correlated with the aggregation rate of a freeze-dried IgG1 monoclonal antibody measured with high performance size exclusion chromatography. The antibody was used in its market formulation and 6 further compositions. A weak correlation between α-relaxation times and IgG1 aggregation was found. A higher mobility level through increased residual moisture helped to improve the correlation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Groël
- Department of Pharmacy, Center for Drug Research, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany.
| | | | - Gerhard Winter
- Department of Pharmacy, Center for Drug Research, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
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42
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Casmil IC, Huang C, Blakney AK. A duplex droplet digital PCR assay for absolute quantification and characterization of long self-amplifying RNA. Sci Rep 2023; 13:19050. [PMID: 37923834 PMCID: PMC10624827 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-46314-6] [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: 03/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Self-amplifying messenger ribonucleic acid (saRNA) provides extended expression of genes of interest by encoding an alphavirus-derived RNA replicase and thus is 2-3 times larger than conventional messenger RNA. However, quality assessment of long RNA transcripts is challenging using standard techniques. Here, we utilized a multiplex droplet digital polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR) assay to assess the quality of saRNA produced from an in vitro transcription reaction and the replication kinetics in human cell lines. Using the one-step reverse transcription ddPCR, we show that an in vitro transcription generates 50-60% full-length saRNA transcripts. However, we note that the two-step reverse transcription ddPCR assay results in a 20% decrease from results obtained using the one-step and confirmed using capillary gel electrophoresis. Additionally, we provided three formulas that differ in the level of stringency and assumptions made to calculate the fraction of intact saRNA. Using ddPCR, we also showed that subgenomic transcripts of saRNA were 19-to-108-fold higher than genomic transcripts at different hours post-transfection of mammalian cells in copies. Therefore, we demonstrate that multiplex ddPCR is well suited for quality assessment of long RNA and replication kinetics of saRNA based on absolute quantification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irafasha C Casmil
- Michael Smith Laboratories, School of Biomedical Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Cynthia Huang
- Michael Smith Laboratories, School of Biomedical Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Anna K Blakney
- Michael Smith Laboratories, School of Biomedical Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada.
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43
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Kon E, Ad-El N, Hazan-Halevy I, Stotsky-Oterin L, Peer D. Targeting cancer with mRNA-lipid nanoparticles: key considerations and future prospects. Nat Rev Clin Oncol 2023; 20:739-754. [PMID: 37587254 DOI: 10.1038/s41571-023-00811-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023]
Abstract
Harnessing mRNA-lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) to treat patients with cancer has been an ongoing research area that started before these versatile nanoparticles were successfully used as COVID-19 vaccines. Currently, efforts are underway to harness this platform for oncology therapeutics, mainly focusing on cancer vaccines targeting multiple neoantigens or direct intratumoural injections of mRNA-LNPs encoding pro-inflammatory cytokines. In this Review, we describe the opportunities of using mRNA-LNPs in oncology applications and discuss the challenges for successfully translating the findings of preclinical studies of these nanoparticles into the clinic. We critically appraise the potential of various mRNA-LNP targeting and delivery strategies, considering physiological, technological and manufacturing challenges. We explore these approaches in the context of the potential clinical applications best suited to each approach and highlight the obstacles that currently need to be addressed to achieve these applications. Finally, we provide insights from preclinical and clinical studies that are leading to this powerful platform being considered the next frontier in oncology treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edo Kon
- Laboratory of Precision Nanomedicine, Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Department of Materials Sciences and Engineering, Iby and Aladar Fleischman Faculty of Engineering, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Cancer Biology Research Center, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Nitay Ad-El
- Laboratory of Precision Nanomedicine, Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Department of Materials Sciences and Engineering, Iby and Aladar Fleischman Faculty of Engineering, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Cancer Biology Research Center, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Inbal Hazan-Halevy
- Laboratory of Precision Nanomedicine, Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Department of Materials Sciences and Engineering, Iby and Aladar Fleischman Faculty of Engineering, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Cancer Biology Research Center, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Lior Stotsky-Oterin
- Laboratory of Precision Nanomedicine, Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Department of Materials Sciences and Engineering, Iby and Aladar Fleischman Faculty of Engineering, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Cancer Biology Research Center, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Dan Peer
- Laboratory of Precision Nanomedicine, Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
- Department of Materials Sciences and Engineering, Iby and Aladar Fleischman Faculty of Engineering, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
- Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
- Cancer Biology Research Center, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
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Hermosilla J, Alonso-García A, Salmerón-García A, Cabeza-Barrera J, Medina-Castillo AL, Pérez-Robles R, Navas N. Analysing the In-Use Stability of mRNA-LNP COVID-19 Vaccines Comirnaty™ (Pfizer) and Spikevax™ (Moderna): A Comparative Study of the Particulate. Vaccines (Basel) 2023; 11:1635. [PMID: 38005967 PMCID: PMC10675537 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines11111635] [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: 09/01/2023] [Revised: 10/07/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Comirnaty™ and Spikevax™ were the first vaccines approved for human use based on modified non-replicating mRNA lipophilic nanoparticle (mRNA-LNP) technology, with great success in the treatment of COVID-19. They have been used massively worldwide. One of the major inconveniences of these vaccines is related to pharmaceutical stability issues. Proper transportation, storage, and in-use handling before administration to patients are critical steps since failures can potentially reduce potency. In this research, the in-use stability of Comirnaty™ and Spikevax™ clinical samples was analysed and the results were compared. As changes in the size of the mRNA-LNPs are related to potency, these modifications were analysed by qualitative Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) as a stability-indicating method for control and stressed vaccine samples. Strong stress factors (accelerated light irradiation, manual shaking, and vortex vibration) and conditions that mimic in-use handling (exposure to natural light and room temperature, repeated cycles of injections, and 24 h storage in syringes) were checked. The morphology of the mRNA-LNPs was analysed by Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) to better interpret and support the DLS results. Although the two vaccines are based on the same mRNA-LNP technology, the results demonstrate that they are characterised by very different particle size profiles and behaviours against different handling/stress conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesús Hermosilla
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Science Faculty, University of Granada, Fuentenueva Avenue, 18071 Granada, Spain; (J.H.); (A.L.M.-C.); (R.P.-R.)
- Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria de Granada (ibs.GRANADA), 18012 Granada, Spain; (A.S.-G.)
| | - Airan Alonso-García
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Science Faculty, University of Granada, Fuentenueva Avenue, 18071 Granada, Spain; (J.H.); (A.L.M.-C.); (R.P.-R.)
| | - Antonio Salmerón-García
- Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria de Granada (ibs.GRANADA), 18012 Granada, Spain; (A.S.-G.)
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, San Cecilio University Hospital, Conocimiento Avenue, 18016 Granada, Spain
| | - José Cabeza-Barrera
- Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria de Granada (ibs.GRANADA), 18012 Granada, Spain; (A.S.-G.)
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, San Cecilio University Hospital, Conocimiento Avenue, 18016 Granada, Spain
| | - Antonio L. Medina-Castillo
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Science Faculty, University of Granada, Fuentenueva Avenue, 18071 Granada, Spain; (J.H.); (A.L.M.-C.); (R.P.-R.)
| | - Raquel Pérez-Robles
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Science Faculty, University of Granada, Fuentenueva Avenue, 18071 Granada, Spain; (J.H.); (A.L.M.-C.); (R.P.-R.)
- Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria de Granada (ibs.GRANADA), 18012 Granada, Spain; (A.S.-G.)
- Fundación para la Investigación Biosanitaria de Andalucía Oriental-Alejandro Otero, Madrid Avenue, 18012 Granada, Spain
| | - Natalia Navas
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Science Faculty, University of Granada, Fuentenueva Avenue, 18071 Granada, Spain; (J.H.); (A.L.M.-C.); (R.P.-R.)
- Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria de Granada (ibs.GRANADA), 18012 Granada, Spain; (A.S.-G.)
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Sarmadi M, Holmes S, Agha R, Davenport B, Weikart C, Thompson TN. A comparative study of freeze-drying heat transfer in polymeric vials and glass vials. Sci Rep 2023; 13:18092. [PMID: 37872198 PMCID: PMC10593743 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-40777-3] [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: 04/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 10/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Implementation of polymeric vials for freeze-dried drug products has been practically non-existent because of unique moisture barrier and thermodynamic technical challenges. Hybrid vials, which combine the benefits of polymer and glass, have been shown to address the challenges of ordinary polymeric vials. Tackling thermodynamic challenges starts with a clear understanding of the heat transfer mechanism. To this end, multi-physics simulations and experimentation were used to compare the heat transfer between hybrid cyclic olefin polymer (COP) vials and borosilicate glass vials during freeze-drying. Parametric models were developed for hybrid COP and glass vials to systematically study the effect of five design parameters based on the arrangement of the vials on a tray inside a lyophilization chamber. Heat transfer in glass vials were dominated by heat conduction with the surrounding vapor, while hybrid COP vials were governed by conduction with the bottom shelf. Furthermore, hybrid COP vials exhibited more consistent heat flow rate and total heat transfer coefficient compared to glass vials, suggesting higher product quality as a result. The distance between adjacent vials and the drug product height were the most important parameters affecting heat transfer irrespective of vial type. Results indicated that hybrid COP vials can be filled to higher fill volumes with higher heat transfer and without the risk of breakage. Results of this study can help design innovative primary packaging systems for freeze drying or optimizing heat transfer for existing glass or hybrid COP vial systems regarding product consistency and drying time.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Royal Agha
- Millrock Technology, Kingston, NY, 12401, USA
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46
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Slomka S, Zieba P, Rosiak O, Piekarska A. Comparison of Post-Vaccination Response between mRNA and Vector Vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 in Terms of Humoral Response after Six Months of Observation. Vaccines (Basel) 2023; 11:1625. [PMID: 37897027 PMCID: PMC10611196 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines11101625] [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: 08/20/2023] [Revised: 10/15/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The emergence of the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic has accelerated work on the creation of effective vaccines, both in terms of previously known vector vaccines and new-generation (mRNA) vaccines. The scientific research on vaccination against COVID-19 infection is limited; therefore, understanding how the immune system responds to vaccines is critical. In our study, we conducted a long-term analysis of the presence and persistence of the immune response via chemiluminescence, analyzing the level of IgG antibodies and neutralizing antibodies in subjects vaccinated with two types of mRNA (Comirnaty) and vector (Vaxzevria) vaccines. MATERIALS AND METHODS Healthcare workers and a group of teachers were recruited for this study according to the 2021 government-launched vaccination calendar. They received two doses of the Comirnaty or Vaxzevria vaccine. SRBD (spike-receptor binding domain) IgG antibody levels were measured monthly for 6 consecutive months with a chemiluminescent assay (CLIA) and neutralizing antibodies for two periods-1 and 5 months from the completion of the vaccination course. RESULTS 168 people were recruited for this study: 135 people for the mRNA vaccine group and 33 people for the vector vaccine group. Comparing the serum IgG levels between the two types of vaccines, a significant difference in median values can be noted at all time points. In consecutive months, the mRNA-vaccinated group exhibited significantly higher SRBD levels compared to the vector group, with peak concentrations at one month after the complete vaccination cycle (745 AU/mL vs. 15.44 AU/mL; p < 0.001). Peak antibody concentration for the vector vaccine was observed one month later, at the third follow-up visit; however, the median IgG concentration was almost 7.7 times higher for the Comirnaty group. Both products were effective in stimulating neutralizing antibody production after vaccination. Higher median values were observed for the mRNA vaccines in both evaluations. At first evaluation, the median value for NA concentration in the Comirnaty group was 6 times higher than in the Vaxzevria group (median value 12.23 [IQR 27.3] vs. 1.7 [IQR 3.3]; p < 0.001. CONCLUSIONS People vaccinated with the mRNA vaccine (Comirnaty) showed a stronger immune response to the vaccination than the group of people administered the vector vaccine (Vaxzevria). The Comirnaty group showed higher levels of IgG, including neutralizing antibodies, at all time points during the follow-up period, and this was independent of having had a SARS-CoV-2 infection. A natural decrease in antibody levels was seen within 6 months. A booster vaccination may be required. No serious side effects were observed in either group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Slomka
- Department of Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, Biegański Regional Specialist Hospital, 91-347 Lodz, Poland; (S.S.); (P.Z.)
| | - Patrycja Zieba
- Department of Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, Biegański Regional Specialist Hospital, 91-347 Lodz, Poland; (S.S.); (P.Z.)
| | - Oskar Rosiak
- Department of Otolaryngology, Polish Mother’s Memorial Hospital, Research Institute, 98-338 Lodz, Poland;
| | - Anna Piekarska
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology, Medical University of Lodz, 90-419 Lodz, Poland
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Zhang W, Pfeifle A, Lansdell C, Frahm G, Cecillon J, Tamming L, Gravel C, Gao J, Thulasi Raman SN, Wang L, Sauve S, Rosu-Myles M, Li X, Johnston MJW. The Expression Kinetics and Immunogenicity of Lipid Nanoparticles Delivering Plasmid DNA and mRNA in Mice. Vaccines (Basel) 2023; 11:1580. [PMID: 37896985 PMCID: PMC10610642 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines11101580] [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: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
In recent years, lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) have emerged as a revolutionary technology for vaccine delivery. LNPs serve as an integral component of mRNA vaccines by protecting and transporting the mRNA payload into host cells. Despite their prominence in mRNA vaccines, there remains a notable gap in our understanding of the potential application of LNPs for the delivery of DNA vaccines. In this study, we sought to investigate the suitability of leading LNP formulations for the delivery of plasmid DNA (pDNA). In addition, we aimed to explore key differences in the properties of popular LNP formulations when delivering either mRNA or DNA. To address these questions, we compared three leading LNP formulations encapsulating mRNA- or pDNA-encoding firefly luciferase based on potency, expression kinetics, biodistribution, and immunogenicity. Following intramuscular injection in mice, we determined that RNA-LNPs formulated with either SM-102 or ALC-0315 lipids were the most potent (all p-values < 0.01) and immunogenic (all p-values < 0.05), while DNA-LNPs formulated with SM-102 or ALC-0315 demonstrated the longest duration of signal. Additionally, all LNP formulations were found to induce expression in the liver that was proportional to the signal at the injection site (SM102: r = 0.8787, p < 0.0001; ALC0315: r = 0.9012, p < 0.0001; KC2: r = 0.9343, p < 0.0001). Overall, this study provides important insights into the differences between leading LNP formulations and their applicability to DNA- and RNA-based vaccinations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanyue Zhang
- Centre for Oncology, Radiopharmaceuticals and Research, Biologic and Radiopharmaceutical Drugs Directorate, Health Products and Food Branch, Health Canada and World Health Organization Collaborating Center for Standardization and Evaluation of Biologicals, Ottawa, ON K1A 0K9, Canada; (W.Z.); (A.P.)
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada;
| | - Annabelle Pfeifle
- Centre for Oncology, Radiopharmaceuticals and Research, Biologic and Radiopharmaceutical Drugs Directorate, Health Products and Food Branch, Health Canada and World Health Organization Collaborating Center for Standardization and Evaluation of Biologicals, Ottawa, ON K1A 0K9, Canada; (W.Z.); (A.P.)
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada;
| | - Casey Lansdell
- Centre for Oncology, Radiopharmaceuticals and Research, Biologic and Radiopharmaceutical Drugs Directorate, Health Products and Food Branch, Health Canada and World Health Organization Collaborating Center for Standardization and Evaluation of Biologicals, Ottawa, ON K1A 0K9, Canada; (W.Z.); (A.P.)
| | - Grant Frahm
- Centre for Oncology, Radiopharmaceuticals and Research, Biologic and Radiopharmaceutical Drugs Directorate, Health Products and Food Branch, Health Canada and World Health Organization Collaborating Center for Standardization and Evaluation of Biologicals, Ottawa, ON K1A 0K9, Canada; (W.Z.); (A.P.)
| | - Jonathon Cecillon
- Centre for Oncology, Radiopharmaceuticals and Research, Biologic and Radiopharmaceutical Drugs Directorate, Health Products and Food Branch, Health Canada and World Health Organization Collaborating Center for Standardization and Evaluation of Biologicals, Ottawa, ON K1A 0K9, Canada; (W.Z.); (A.P.)
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada;
| | - Levi Tamming
- Centre for Oncology, Radiopharmaceuticals and Research, Biologic and Radiopharmaceutical Drugs Directorate, Health Products and Food Branch, Health Canada and World Health Organization Collaborating Center for Standardization and Evaluation of Biologicals, Ottawa, ON K1A 0K9, Canada; (W.Z.); (A.P.)
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada;
| | - Caroline Gravel
- Centre for Oncology, Radiopharmaceuticals and Research, Biologic and Radiopharmaceutical Drugs Directorate, Health Products and Food Branch, Health Canada and World Health Organization Collaborating Center for Standardization and Evaluation of Biologicals, Ottawa, ON K1A 0K9, Canada; (W.Z.); (A.P.)
| | - Jun Gao
- Centre for Vaccines, Clinical Trials and Biostatistics, Biologic and Radiopharmaceutical Drugs Directorate, Health Products and Food Branch, Health Canada and World Health Organization Collaborating Center for Standardization and Evaluation of Biologicals, Ottawa, ON K1A 0K9, Canada
| | - Sathya N. Thulasi Raman
- Centre for Oncology, Radiopharmaceuticals and Research, Biologic and Radiopharmaceutical Drugs Directorate, Health Products and Food Branch, Health Canada and World Health Organization Collaborating Center for Standardization and Evaluation of Biologicals, Ottawa, ON K1A 0K9, Canada; (W.Z.); (A.P.)
| | - Lisheng Wang
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada;
| | - Simon Sauve
- Centre for Oncology, Radiopharmaceuticals and Research, Biologic and Radiopharmaceutical Drugs Directorate, Health Products and Food Branch, Health Canada and World Health Organization Collaborating Center for Standardization and Evaluation of Biologicals, Ottawa, ON K1A 0K9, Canada; (W.Z.); (A.P.)
| | - Michael Rosu-Myles
- Centre for Oncology, Radiopharmaceuticals and Research, Biologic and Radiopharmaceutical Drugs Directorate, Health Products and Food Branch, Health Canada and World Health Organization Collaborating Center for Standardization and Evaluation of Biologicals, Ottawa, ON K1A 0K9, Canada; (W.Z.); (A.P.)
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada;
| | - Xuguang Li
- Centre for Oncology, Radiopharmaceuticals and Research, Biologic and Radiopharmaceutical Drugs Directorate, Health Products and Food Branch, Health Canada and World Health Organization Collaborating Center for Standardization and Evaluation of Biologicals, Ottawa, ON K1A 0K9, Canada; (W.Z.); (A.P.)
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada;
| | - Michael J. W. Johnston
- Centre for Oncology, Radiopharmaceuticals and Research, Biologic and Radiopharmaceutical Drugs Directorate, Health Products and Food Branch, Health Canada and World Health Organization Collaborating Center for Standardization and Evaluation of Biologicals, Ottawa, ON K1A 0K9, Canada; (W.Z.); (A.P.)
- Department of Chemistry, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada
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Li M, Jia L, Xie Y, Ma W, Yan Z, Liu F, Deng J, Zhu A, Siwei X, Su W, Liu X, Li S, Wang H, Yu P, Zhu T. Lyophilization process optimization and molecular dynamics simulation of mRNA-LNPs for SARS-CoV-2 vaccine. NPJ Vaccines 2023; 8:153. [PMID: 37813912 PMCID: PMC10562438 DOI: 10.1038/s41541-023-00732-9] [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: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Some studies have shown that lyophilization significantly improves the stability of mRNA-LNPs and enables long-term storage at 2-8 °C. However, there is little research on the lyophilization process of mRNA-lipid nanoparticles (LNPs). Most previous studies have used empirical lyophilization with only a single lyoprotectant, resulting in low lyophilization efficiency, often requiring 40-100 h. In the present study, an efficient lyophilization method suitable for mRNA-LNPs was designed and optimized, shortening the total length of the lyophilization process to 8-18 h, which significantly reduced energy consumption and production costs. When the mixed lyoprotectant composed of sucrose, trehalose, and mannitol was added to mRNA-LNPs, the eutectic point and collapse temperature of the system were increased. The lyophilized product had a ginger root-shaped rigid structure with large porosity, which tolerated rapid temperature increases and efficiently removed water. In addition, the lyophilized mRNA-LNPs rapidly rehydrated and had good particle size distribution, encapsulation rate, and mRNA integrity. The lyophilized mRNA-LNPs were stable at 2-8 °C, and they did not reduce immunogenicity in vivo or in vitro. Molecular dynamics simulation was used to compare the phospholipid molecular layer with the lyoprotectant in aqueous and anhydrous environments to elucidate the mechanism of lyophilization to improve the stability of mRNA-LNPs. This efficient lyophilization platform significantly improves the accessibility of mRNA-LNPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingyuan Li
- China International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Food Nutrition/Safety and Medicinal Chemistry, Tianjin International Cooperation Research Centre of Food Nutrition/Safety and Medicinal Chemistry, College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science & Technology, Tianjin, 300457, China
| | - Lin Jia
- China International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Food Nutrition/Safety and Medicinal Chemistry, Tianjin International Cooperation Research Centre of Food Nutrition/Safety and Medicinal Chemistry, College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science & Technology, Tianjin, 300457, China
| | - Yanbo Xie
- China International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Food Nutrition/Safety and Medicinal Chemistry, Tianjin International Cooperation Research Centre of Food Nutrition/Safety and Medicinal Chemistry, College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science & Technology, Tianjin, 300457, China
| | - Wenlin Ma
- China International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Food Nutrition/Safety and Medicinal Chemistry, Tianjin International Cooperation Research Centre of Food Nutrition/Safety and Medicinal Chemistry, College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science & Technology, Tianjin, 300457, China
| | - Zhihong Yan
- CanSino Biologics Inc., Tianjin, 300301, China
- CanSino (Shanghai) Biotechnologies Co., Ltd, Shanghai, 201208, China
- CanSino (Shanghai) Biological Research Co., Ltd, Shanghai, 201208, China
| | - Fufeng Liu
- China International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Food Nutrition/Safety and Medicinal Chemistry, Tianjin International Cooperation Research Centre of Food Nutrition/Safety and Medicinal Chemistry, College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science & Technology, Tianjin, 300457, China
| | - Jie Deng
- CanSino Biologics Inc., Tianjin, 300301, China
| | - Ali Zhu
- CanSino Biologics Inc., Tianjin, 300301, China
| | - Xue Siwei
- CanSino Biologics Inc., Tianjin, 300301, China
| | - Wen Su
- China International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Food Nutrition/Safety and Medicinal Chemistry, Tianjin International Cooperation Research Centre of Food Nutrition/Safety and Medicinal Chemistry, College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science & Technology, Tianjin, 300457, China
| | - Xiaofeng Liu
- China International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Food Nutrition/Safety and Medicinal Chemistry, Tianjin International Cooperation Research Centre of Food Nutrition/Safety and Medicinal Chemistry, College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science & Technology, Tianjin, 300457, China
| | - Shiqin Li
- China International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Food Nutrition/Safety and Medicinal Chemistry, Tianjin International Cooperation Research Centre of Food Nutrition/Safety and Medicinal Chemistry, College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science & Technology, Tianjin, 300457, China
| | - Haomeng Wang
- CanSino Biologics Inc., Tianjin, 300301, China.
- CanSino (Shanghai) Biotechnologies Co., Ltd, Shanghai, 201208, China.
- CanSino (Shanghai) Biological Research Co., Ltd, Shanghai, 201208, China.
| | - Peng Yu
- China International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Food Nutrition/Safety and Medicinal Chemistry, Tianjin International Cooperation Research Centre of Food Nutrition/Safety and Medicinal Chemistry, College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science & Technology, Tianjin, 300457, China.
| | - Tao Zhu
- China International Science and Technology Cooperation Base of Food Nutrition/Safety and Medicinal Chemistry, Tianjin International Cooperation Research Centre of Food Nutrition/Safety and Medicinal Chemistry, College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science & Technology, Tianjin, 300457, China.
- CanSino Biologics Inc., Tianjin, 300301, China.
- CanSino (Shanghai) Biotechnologies Co., Ltd, Shanghai, 201208, China.
- CanSino (Shanghai) Biological Research Co., Ltd, Shanghai, 201208, China.
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Kim YS, Kim DH, An D, Lim Y, Seo YJ, Kim HK, Kang HY. The RNA ligation method using modified splint DNAs significantly improves the efficiency of circular RNA synthesis. Anim Cells Syst (Seoul) 2023; 27:208-218. [PMID: 37808549 PMCID: PMC10552601 DOI: 10.1080/19768354.2023.2265165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Circular RNA (circRNA) is a non-coding RNA with a covalently closed loop structure and usually more stable than messenger RNA (mRNA). However, coding sequences (CDSs) following an internal ribosome entry site (IRES) in circRNAs can be translated, and this property has been recently utilized to produce proteins as novel therapeutic tools. However, it is difficult to produce large proteins from circRNAs because of the low circularization efficiency of lengthy RNAs. In this study, we report that we successfully synthesized circRNAs with the splint DNA ligation method using RNA ligase 1 and the splint DNAs, which contain complementary sequences to both ends of precursor linear RNAs. This method results in more efficient circularization than the conventional enzymatic method that does not use the splint DNAs, easily generating circRNAs that express relatively large proteins, including IgG heavy and light chains. Longer splint DNA (42 nucleotide) is more effective in circularization. Also, the use of splint DNAs with an adenine analog, 2,6-diaminopurine (DAP), increase the circularization efficiency presumably by strengthening the interaction between the splint DNAs and the precursor RNAs. The splint DNA ligation method requires 5 times more splint DNA than the precursor RNA to efficiently produce circRNAs, but our modified splint DNA ligation method can produce circRNAs using the amount of splint DNA which is equal to that of the precursor RNA. Our modified splint DNA ligation method will help develop novel therapeutic tools using circRNAs, to treat various diseases and to develop human and veterinary vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoon-Seob Kim
- Drug Discovery Center, NuclixBio, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Do-Hyung Kim
- Drug Discovery Center, NuclixBio, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Daegi An
- Department of Life Science, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Younghyun Lim
- Department of Life Science, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Young-Jin Seo
- Department of Life Science, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Hak Kyun Kim
- Department of Life Science, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Ho-Young Kang
- Drug Discovery Center, NuclixBio, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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50
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Fongaro B, Campara B, Moscatiello GY, De Luigi A, Panzeri D, Sironi L, Bigini P, Carretta G, Miolo G, Pasut G, Polverino De Laureto P. Assessing the physicochemical stability and intracellular trafficking of mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccines. Int J Pharm 2023; 644:123319. [PMID: 37586576 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2023.123319] [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: 06/27/2023] [Revised: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023]
Abstract
The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 in Wuhan, China in 2019 has had a profound impact on humanity in every facet. While vaccines against this viral pathogen have been approved a year later, limitations to this therapeutic intervention persist, such as drug sensitivity to transportation and storage conditions, as well as significant financial losses from non-injected resuspended vials. Our research delves into the effects of thermal denaturation (4 - 40 °C) and light irradiation (720 and 10460 kJ/m2) on the mRNA-based vaccines BNT162b2 from BioNTech/Pfizer and mRNA-1273 from Moderna. We also investigated vaccine stability following incubation in syringes to simulate potential interactions with silicon oil. By assaying the effects of these stressors via biochemical and biophysical methods, we aim to elucidate the physicochemical properties, integrity, and stability of these mRNA-based vaccines. Furthermore, the incorporation of a fluorophore into both vaccines allowed us to monitor their localization within cells and assess their capacity to evade vesicular transport mechanisms, thus evaluating the differences between the two formulations. A comprehensive understanding of the aforementioned attributes can enable the establishment of optimal storage and manipulation conditions for these vaccines, thereby ensuring their safe and efficacious application while minimizing the waste of functional and safe therapeutic agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benedetta Fongaro
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, University of Padova, via F. Marzolo, 5, Padova, Italy
| | - Benedetta Campara
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, University of Padova, via F. Marzolo, 5, Padova, Italy
| | - Giulia Yuri Moscatiello
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mario Negri Institute for Pharmacological Research IRCCS, Via Mario Negri 2, Milano, Italy
| | - Ada De Luigi
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mario Negri Institute for Pharmacological Research IRCCS, Via Mario Negri 2, Milano, Italy
| | - Davide Panzeri
- Department of Physics, University of Milano Bicocca, Piazza dell'Ateneo Nuovo, 1, Milano, Italy
| | - Laura Sironi
- Department of Physics, University of Milano Bicocca, Piazza dell'Ateneo Nuovo, 1, Milano, Italy
| | - Paolo Bigini
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mario Negri Institute for Pharmacological Research IRCCS, Via Mario Negri 2, Milano, Italy
| | - Giovanni Carretta
- Azienda ULSS 3 Serenissima, Via Don Federico Tosatto, 147, Venezia, Italy
| | - Giorgia Miolo
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, University of Padova, via F. Marzolo, 5, Padova, Italy
| | - Gianfranco Pasut
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, University of Padova, via F. Marzolo, 5, Padova, Italy.
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