mRNA delivery in cancer immunotherapy

  • Acta Pharm Sin B. 2023 Apr;13(4):1348-1357. doi: 10.1016/j.apsb.2023.03.001.
Yichen Zhong  1  2 ,  Shi Du  1  2 ,  Yizhou Dong  1  3  2
Affiliations
  • 1. Division of Pharmaceutics & Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.
  • 2. Icahn Genomics Institute, Precision Immunology Institute, Department of Oncological Sciences, Tisch Cancer Institute, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA.
  • 3. Department of Radiation Oncology, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Center for Clinical and Translational Science, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Dorothy M. Davis Heart & Lung Research Institute, Center for Cancer Engineering, Center for Cancer Metabolism, Pelotonia Institute for Immune-Oncology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.
PMID: 37139419 DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2023.03.001
Abstract

Messenger RNA (mRNA) has drawn much attention in the medical field. Through various treatment approaches including protein replacement therapies, Gene Editing, and cell engineering, mRNA is becoming a potential therapeutic strategy for cancers. However, delivery of mRNA into targeted organs and cells can be challenging due to the unstable nature of its naked form and the low cellular uptake. Therefore, in addition to mRNA modification, efforts have been devoted to developing nanoparticles for mRNA delivery. In this review, we introduce four categories of nanoparticle platform systems: lipid, polymer, lipid-polymer hybrid, and protein/peptide-mediated nanoparticles, together with their roles in facilitating mRNA-based Cancer immunotherapies. We also highlight promising treatment regimens and their clinical translation.

Keywords
Cancer immunotherapy; Lipid nanoparticles; Lipid–polymer hybrid nanoparticles; Messenger RNA; Polymeric nanoparticles; Protein/peptide-mediated nanoparticles; mRNA delivery.