mRNA vaccine

An mRNA vaccine is a type of
In RNA therapeutics, messenger RNA vaccines have attracted considerable interest as COVID-19 vaccines.[1] In December 2020, Pfizer–BioNTech and Moderna obtained authorization for their mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccines. On 2 December, the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) became the first medicines regulator to approve an mRNA vaccine, authorizing the Pfizer–BioNTech vaccine for widespread use.[9][10][11] On 11 December, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an emergency use authorization for the Pfizer–BioNTech vaccine[12][13] and a week later similarly authorized the Moderna vaccine.[14][15]
History
Early research

The first successful transfection of designed mRNA packaged within a liposomal nanoparticle into a cell was published in 1989.[16][17] "Naked" (or unprotected) lab-made mRNA was injected a year later into the muscle of mice.[3][18] These studies were the first evidence that in vitro transcribed mRNA with a chosen gene was able to deliver the genetic information to produce a desired protein within living cell tissue[3] and led to the concept proposal of messenger RNA vaccines.[19][20][21]
Liposome-encapsulated mRNA encoding a viral antigen was shown in 1993 to stimulate T cells in mice.[22][23] The following year self-amplifying mRNA was developed by including both a viral antigen and replicase encoding gene.[22][24] The method was used in mice to elicit both a humoral and cellular immune response against a viral pathogen.[22] The next year mRNA encoding a tumor antigen was shown to elicit a similar immune response against cancer cells in mice.[25][26]
Development
The first human clinical trial using
BioNTech in 2008, and Moderna in 2010, were founded to develop mRNA biotechnologies.[32][33] The US research agency DARPA launched at this time the biotechnology research program ADEPT to develop emerging technologies for the US military.[34][35] The agency recognized the potential of nucleic acid technology for defense against pandemics and began to invest in the field.[34] DARPA grants were seen as a vote of confidence that in turn encouraged other government agencies and private investors to invest in mRNA technology.[35] DARPA awarded at the time a $25 million grant to Moderna.[36]
The first human clinical trials using an mRNA vaccine against an infectious agent (
In March 2022
Acceleration
The
Mechanism

The goal of a vaccine is to stimulate the adaptive immune system to create antibodies that precisely target that particular pathogen. The markers on the pathogen that the antibodies target are called antigens.[48]
Traditional vaccines stimulate an antibody response by injecting either
In contrast, mRNA vaccines introduce a short-lived[51] synthetically created fragment of the RNA sequence of a virus into the individual being vaccinated. These mRNA fragments are taken up by dendritic cells through phagocytosis.[52] The dendritic cells use their internal machinery (ribosomes) to read the mRNA and produce the viral antigens that the mRNA encodes.[4] The body degrades the mRNA fragments within a few days of introduction.[53] Although non-immune cells can potentially also absorb vaccine mRNA, produce antigens, and display the antigens on their surfaces, dendritic cells absorb the mRNA globules much more readily.[54] The mRNA fragments are translated in the cytoplasm and do not affect the body's genomic DNA, located separately in the cell nucleus.[1][55]
Once the viral antigens are produced by the host cell, the normal adaptive immune system processes are followed. Antigens are broken down by
mRNA

The central component of a mRNA vaccine is its mRNA construct.[57] The in vitro transcribed mRNA is generated from an engineered plasmid DNA, which has an RNA polymerase promoter and sequence which corresponds to the mRNA construct. By combining T7 phage RNA polymerase and the plasmid DNA, the mRNA can be transcribed in the lab. Efficacy of the vaccine is dependent on the stability and structure of the designed mRNA.[4]
The in vitro transcribed mRNA has the same structural components as natural mRNA in
The mRNA can be improved by using synthetic 5'-cap analogues which enhance the stability and increase protein translation. Similarly,
Delivery

For a vaccine to be successful, sufficient mRNA must enter the host cell cytoplasm to stimulate production of the specific antigens. Entry of mRNA molecules, however, faces a number of difficulties. Not only are mRNA molecules too large to cross the cell membrane by simple diffusion, they are also negatively charged like the cell membrane, which causes a mutual electrostatic repulsion. Additionally, mRNA is easily degraded by RNAases in skin and blood.[55]
Various methods have been developed to overcome these delivery hurdles. The method of vaccine delivery can be broadly classified by whether mRNA transfer into cells occurs within (in vivo) or outside (ex vivo) the organism.[55][3]
Ex vivo
The simplest way that ex vivo dendritic cells take up mRNA molecules is through endocytosis, a fairly inefficient pathway in the laboratory setting that can be significantly improved through electroporation.[55]
In vivo
Since the discovery that the direct administration of in vitro transcribed mRNA leads to the expression of antigens in the body, in vivo approaches have been investigated.[18] They offer some advantages over ex vivo methods, particularly by avoiding the cost of harvesting and adapting dendritic cells from patients and by imitating a regular infection.[55]
Different routes of
Naked mRNA injection
Naked mRNA injection means that the delivery of the vaccine is only done in a buffer solution.[60] This mode of mRNA uptake has been known since the 1990s.[18] The first worldwide clinical studies used intradermal injections of naked mRNA for vaccination.[61][62] A variety of methods have been used to deliver naked mRNA, such as subcutaneous, intravenous, and intratumoral injections. Although naked mRNA delivery causes an immune response, the effect is relatively weak, and after injection the mRNA is often rapidly degraded.[55]
Polymer and peptide vectors
Lipid nanoparticle vector

The first time the FDA approved the use of
Principally, the lipid provides a layer of protection against degradation, allowing more robust translational output. In addition, the customization of the lipid's outer layer allows the targeting of desired cell types through ligand interactions. However, many studies have also highlighted the difficulty of studying this type of delivery, demonstrating that there is an inconsistency between in vivo and in vitro applications of nanoparticles in terms of cellular intake.[68] The nanoparticles can be administered to the body and transported via multiple routes, such as intravenously or through the lymphatic system.[65]
One issue with lipid nanoparticles is that several of the breakthroughs leading to the practical use of that technology involve the use of
Another issue, with the large-scale use of this delivery method, is the availability of the novel lipids used to create lipid nanoparticles, especially ionizable cationic lipids. Before 2020, such lipids were manufactured in small quantities measured in grams or kilograms, and they were used for medical research and a handful of drugs for rare conditions. As the safety and efficacy of mRNA vaccines became clear in 2020, the few companies able to manufacture the requisite lipids were confronted with the challenge of scaling up production to respond to orders for several tons of lipids.[70][74]
Viral vector
In addition to non-viral delivery methods, RNA viruses have been engineered to achieve similar immunological responses. Typical RNA viruses used as vectors include retroviruses, lentiviruses, alphaviruses and rhabdoviruses, each of which can differ in structure and function.[75] Clinical studies have utilized such viruses on a range of diseases in model animals such as mice, chicken and primates.[76][77][78]
Advantages
Traditional vaccines

mRNA vaccines offer specific advantages over traditional
mRNA vaccines have the production advantage that they can be designed swiftly. Moderna designed their
The Pfizer–BioNTech vaccine originally required 110 days to mass-produce (before Pfizer began to optimize the manufacturing process to only 60 days), which was substantially faster than traditional flu and polio vaccines.[72] Within that larger timeframe, the actual production time is only about 22 days: two weeks for molecular cloning of DNA plasmids and purification of DNA, four days for DNA-to-RNA transcription and purification of mRNA, and four days to encapsulate mRNA in lipid nanoparticles followed by fill and finish.[81] The majority of the days needed for each production run are allocated to rigorous quality control at each stage.[72]
DNA vaccines
In addition to sharing the advantages of theoretical
Disadvantages
Storage
Because mRNA is fragile, some vaccines must be kept at very low temperatures to avoid degrading and thus giving little effective immunity to the recipient. Pfizer–BioNTech's
Recent
Before 2020, no mRNA technology platform (drug or vaccine) had been authorized for use in humans, so there was a risk of unknown effects.
Side effects
Reactogenicity is similar to that of conventional, non-RNA vaccines. However, those susceptible to an autoimmune response may have an adverse reaction to mRNA vaccines.[4] The mRNA strands in the vaccine may elicit an unintended immune reaction – this entails the body believing itself to be sick, and the person feeling as if they are as a result. To minimize this, mRNA sequences in mRNA vaccines are designed to mimic those produced by host cells.[5]
Strong but transient reactogenic effects were reported in trials of novel COVID-19 mRNA vaccines; most people will not experience severe side effects which include fever and fatigue. Severe side effects are defined as those that prevent daily activity.[92]
Efficacy
The COVID-19 mRNA vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer–BioNTech have efficacy rates of 90 to 95 percent. Prior mRNA, drug trials on pathogens other than COVID-19 were not effective and had to be abandoned in the early phases of trials. The reason for the efficacy of the new mRNA vaccines is not clear.[93]
Physician-scientist Margaret Liu stated that the efficacy of the new COVID-19 mRNA vaccines could be due to the "sheer volume of resources" that went into development, or that the vaccines might be "triggering a nonspecific inflammatory response to the mRNA that could be heightening its specific immune response, given that the modified nucleoside technique reduced inflammation but hasn't eliminated it completely", and that "this may also explain the intense reactions such as aches and fevers reported in some recipients of the mRNA SARS-CoV-2 vaccines". These reactions though severe were transient and another view is that they were believed to be a reaction to the lipid drug delivery molecules.[93]
Hesitancy
There is misinformation implying that mRNA vaccines could alter DNA in the nucleus.
Amplification
mRNA vaccines use either non-amplifying (conventional) mRNA or self-amplifying mRNA.[96] Pfizer–BioNTech and Moderna vaccines use non-amplifying mRNA. Both mRNA types continue to be investigated as vaccine methods against other potential pathogens and cancer.[30]
Non-amplifying

The initial mRNA vaccines use a non-amplifying mRNA construct.[64] Non-amplifying mRNA has only one open reading frame that codes for the antigen of interest.[96] The total amount of mRNA available to the cell is equal to the amount delivered by the vaccine. Dosage strength is limited by the amount of mRNA that can be delivered by the vaccine.[97] Non-amplifying vaccines replace uridine with N1-Methylpseudouridine in an attempt to reduce toxicity.[98]
Self-amplifying
Self-amplifying mRNA (saRNA) vaccines replicate their mRNA after transfection.[99] Self-amplifying mRNA has two open reading frames. The first frame, like conventional mRNA, codes for the antigen of interest. The second frame codes for an RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (and its helper proteins) which replicates the mRNA construct in the cell. This allows smaller vaccine doses.[99] The mechanisms and consequently the evaluation of self-amplifying mRNA may be different, as self-amplifying mRNA is a much bigger molecule.[3]
SaRNA vaccines being researched include a
See also
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Further reading
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External links
- "Five things you need to know about: mRNA vaccines". Horizon. Archived from the original on 4 April 2020. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
- "RNA vaccines: an introduction". PHG Foundation. University of Cambridge.
- "Understanding mRNA COVID-19 Vaccines". Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 4 January 2022.
- Kolata, Gina; Mueller, Benjamin (15 January 2022). "Halting Progress and Happy Accidents: How mRNA Vaccines Were Made". The New York Times.
- M.I.T. Lecture 10: Kizzmekia Corbett, Vaccines" on YouTube
- xkcd webcomic explaining how the vaccine works using Star Wars characters and situations.