mRNA-Based Vaccines and Immunomodulatory Strategies for Muscle Regeneration and Recovery: A Comprehensive Review

The convergence of vaccinology and immunotherapy with regenerative medicine provides a novel approach to therapeutic strategies for skeletal muscle repair.

This review critically examines the application of mRNA-based platforms and immunomodulatory interventions, systematically bifurcating these strategies into two distinct pathophysiological domains: acute mechanical trauma (sports injuries) and senescence-driven, chronic age-related sarcopenia.

We detail how engineered mRNA can precisely control the expression of myogenic factors and immune modulators to overcome satellite cell dysfunction and inflammatory dysregulation. Furthermore, we critically evaluate current and emerging therapeutic paradigms - ranging from advanced biomaterial delivery systems to next-generation RNA platforms (e.g. circRNA and saRNA). Finally, we analyze their translational progress, the readiness of diagnostic modalities, and the profound ethical challenges of clinical integration, including the emerging threat of 'gene doping.'

This comprehensive reference bridges microscopic molecular insights with macroscopic clinical practice for researchers in immunology, sports medicine, and geriatrics.