Anti-cancer RNA

A promising mRNA vaccine against cancer has been developed

Georgy Golovanov, Hi-tech+

Chinese experts have reported on the development of a hydrogel that, after injection to mice with melanoma, gradually reduces tumors and prevents the formation of metastases. The hydrogel is based on a vaccine with matrix RNA.

Anti-cancer immunotherapy vaccines act in a similar way as mRNA vaccines from covid, except that they activate the immune system, forcing it to attack not a virus, but a malignant tumor. These vaccines contain a matrix RNA that encodes proteins that create cancer cells. When mRNA enters antigen-presenting cells, they begin to create tumor proteins and bring them to their surface, stimulating other immune cells to find and destroy the tumor.

Article by Yin et al. In Situ Transforming RNA Nanovaccines from Polyethylenimine Functionalized Graphene Oxide Hydrogel for Durable Cancer Immunotherapy is published in the journal Nano Letters – VM.

However, mRNA is an unstable molecule. It is quickly destroyed by the body's enzymes. For cancer immunotherapy, researchers try to protect them with nanoparticles, but they are usually removed from the body within one to two days after injection. Scientists from the National Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology of China decided to develop a hydrogel that, if injected under the skin, would slowly secrete mRNA along with an auxiliary agent – a molecule that helps activate the immune system, writes Phys.org .

As an antigen, the scientists took ovalbumin, mixed it with mRNA, an auxiliary and other components of the hydrogel, and injected mice with melanoma. The drug acted much longer, releasing the active substance for 30 days.

The vaccine activated the T cells and stimulated the production of antibodies, causing the tumor to shrink. In addition, vaccinated animals, unlike the control group, did not have metastases in the lungs.

The results showed that the hydrogel has excellent potential for long-term and effective immunotherapy of cancer.

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