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A single-dose F1-based mRNA-LNP vaccine provides protection against the lethal plague bacterium

Edo Kon1,2,3,4, Yinon Levy5, Uri Elia1,2,3,4,5

  • 1Laboratory of Precision NanoMedicine, Shmunis School for Biomedicine and Cancer Research, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel.

Science Advances
|March 8, 2023
PubMed

Insights

This study developed an effective messenger RNA (mRNA) lipid nanoparticle (LNP) vaccine against plague by optimizing antigen design. A single dose provided full protection against lethal Yersinia pestis infection in mice.

Area of Science:

  • Vaccinology
  • Microbiology
  • Immunology

Background:

  • Messenger RNA (mRNA) lipid nanoparticle (LNP) vaccines are effective for viral pathogens.
  • Limited data exist on mRNA-LNP vaccine effectiveness against bacterial pathogens.
  • Antibiotic resistance necessitates alternative countermeasures for bacterial infections like plague.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop an effective mRNA-LNP vaccine against the bacterial pathogen Yersinia pestis.
  • To optimize mRNA payload and antigen design for antibacterial vaccine development.
  • To evaluate the vaccine's immunogenicity and protective efficacy against plague.

Main Methods:

  • Designed a nucleoside-modified mRNA-LNP vaccine encoding the Yersinia pestis F1 capsule antigen.
  • Optimized mRNA guanine and cytosine content and antigen design.
  • Assessed humoral and cellular immunological responses in C57BL/6 mice.

Main Results:

  • The developed mRNA-LNP vaccine elicited significant humoral and cellular immune responses.
  • A single dose conferred rapid and complete protection against lethal Yersinia pestis infection in mice.
  • Demonstrated the potential of mRNA-LNP technology for antibacterial vaccine applications.

Conclusions:

  • Optimized mRNA-LNP vaccine technology can be effective against lethal bacterial pathogens.
  • This approach offers a promising new strategy for developing urgently needed antibacterial vaccines.
  • The study paves the way for novel countermeasures against plague and potentially other bacterial diseases.

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