mRNA vaccines and their delivery strategies: A journey from infectious diseases to cancer

Rama Rao Malla, Mundla Srilatha, Batoul Farran, Ganji Purnachandra Nagaraju

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

mRNA vaccines have evolved as promising cancer therapies. These vaccines can encode tumor-allied antigens, thus enabling personalized treatment approaches. They can also target cancer-specific mutations and overcome immune evasion mechanisms. They manipulate the body's cellular functions to produce antigens, elicit immune responses, and suppress tumors by overcoming limitations associated with specific histocompatibility leukocyte antigen molecules. However, successfully delivering mRNA into target cells destroys a crucial challenge. Viral and nonviral vectors (lipid nanoparticles and cationic liposomes) have shown great capacity in protecting mRNA from deterioration and assisting in cellular uptake. Cell-penetrating peptides, hydrogels, polymer-based nanoparticles, and dendrimers have been investigated to increase the delivery efficacy and immunogenicity of mRNA. This comprehensive review explores the landscape of mRNA vaccines and their delivery platforms for cancer, addressing design considerations, diverse delivery strategies, and recent advancements. Overall, this review contributes to the progress of mRNA vaccines as an innovative strategy for effective cancer treatment.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)13-31
Number of pages19
JournalMolecular Therapy
Volume32
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 3 2024

Keywords

  • cancer
  • clinical trials
  • delivery strategies
  • iontophoresis
  • mRNA vaccine

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Molecular Medicine
  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics
  • Pharmacology
  • Drug Discovery

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