Next-generation vaccines against bacterial pathogens: mRNA and beyond

Area of Science:

• * Infectious Diseases and Vaccinology
• * Microbiology and Immunology

Background:

• * Rising global prevalence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacterial infections necessitates novel prevention strategies.
• * Traditional vaccines face challenges against pathogens like *Mycobacterium tuberculosis* (TB) and ESKAPE bacteria due to complex immune evasion and antigenic variability.
• * Advances in vaccine technology, particularly mRNA platforms spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic, offer new hope for bacterial diseases.

Purpose of the Study:

• * To review next-generation vaccine strategies for combating MDR bacterial infections.
• * To analyze nucleic acid-based platforms (mRNA, DNA, saRNA) and viral vector vaccines.
• * To examine nanoparticle delivery systems and adjuvant platforms in vaccine development.

Main Methods:

• * Comprehensive literature review of current and emerging vaccine platforms.
• * Analysis of mRNA, DNA, saRNA, and viral vector vaccine mechanisms and immunogenicity.
• * Evaluation of nanoparticle technologies for vaccine delivery and adjuvant applications.
• * Comparative assessment of platform status, challenges, and progress.

Main Results:

• * mRNA vaccines offer potential for robust antibody and T-cell responses against intracellular pathogens like TB.
• * Nucleic acid-based vaccines (mRNA, saRNA) and viral vectors are being explored for bacterial targets.
• * Nanoparticle technologies are crucial for delivery and enhancing immune responses.
• * Early-stage successes include mRNA TB vaccine candidates in clinical trials and saRNA plague vaccines in animal models.

Conclusions:

• * Next-generation vaccine platforms hold significant potential to address the threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
• * Overcoming challenges in antigen discovery, delivery, and clinical translation is critical for success.
• * Integration of multiple platforms and global collaboration are essential for developing effective vaccines against MDR bacteria.