Synthetic Messenger RNA-Based Vaccines: From Scorn to Hype

In the race for a vaccine against SARS-CoV-2, the synthetic mRNA format has been shown to be the fastest one and proved to be safe and highly efficient, even at the very low dose of a few µg per injection. The mRNA vaccines are not new: vaccines that are based on attenuated mRNA viruses, such as Mumps, Measles, and Rubella, immunize by delivering their mRNAs into the cells of the vaccinated individual, who produces the viral proteins that then prime the immune response. Synthetic mRNA in liposomes can be seen as a modern, more refined, and thereby a safer version of those live attenuated RNA viruses. The anti-COVID-19 mRNA vaccine (coding the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein) is the third synthetic RNA therapeutic being approved. It follows the aptamer Macugen^® (which neutralizes VEGF) and the siRNA Onpattro^® (which destroys the transthyretin-coding mRNA). Remarkably, the 30 µg of mRNA that are contained in the first approved anti-COVID-19 vaccine are sufficient for generating high levels of neutralizing antibodies against the virus in all injected volunteers (including participants over 65 years old). The efficacy and safety data are stunning. The distribution of these vaccines throughout the world will bring a halt to the coronavirus pandemic.     

The value of mRNA expression of S100A8 and S100A9 as blood-based biomarkers of inflammatory bowel disease

Background and study aimsNon-invasive biomarkers of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are of critical importance. Here, we evaluated the S100A8 and S100A9 mRNA expression, as the heterodimers of calprotectin, in the blood leucocytes of IBD patients to find how their expression associates with the disease characteristics.Patients and methodsIn this cross-sectional study, 59 IBD patients and 30 healthy subjects were included. The flare and remission phases of disease were identified in 46 and 13 patients, respectively. Blood leucocytes were isolated, and the S100A8 and S100A9 mRNA expression were evaluated in the isolated leucocytes using relative quantification real-time PCR.ResultsThe mean S100A8 and S100A9 mRNA expression were significantly higher in IBD patients than in the controls (p = 0.03 and p = 0.02, respectively). The mean S100A8 and S100A9 mRNA expression were significantly higher in the flare phase of the disease compared with the remission phase (p = 0.01 and p = 0.007, respectively). S100A8 distinguished IBD patients from controls with the sensitivity and specificity of 73% and 64%, and flare phase of disease from remission with the sensitivity and specificity of 67% and 62%. On the other hand, S100A9 distinguished IBD patients from controls with the sensitivity and specificity of 81% and 70%, and flare phase of disease from remission with the sensitivity and specificity of 68% and 64%.ConclusionThe S100A8 and S100A9 mRNA are differentially expressed in blood leucocytes of IBD patients compared to healthy controls as well as active versus quiescent disease. Thus, they can be potentially used as a blood-based biomarker in the monitoring of IBD.     

Co-administration of GM-CSF expressing RNA is a powerful tool to enhance potency of SAM-based vaccines

Self-amplifying mRNAs (SAM)-based vaccines have been shown to induce a robust immune response in various animal species against both viral and bacterial pathogens. Due to their synthetic nature and to the versatility of the manufacturing process, SAM technology may represent an attractive solution for rapidly producing novel vaccines, which is particularly critical in case of pandemic infections or diseases mediated by newly emerging pathogens. Recent published data support the hypothesis that Antigen Presenting Cells (APCs) are responsible for CD8+ T-cell priming after SAM vaccination, suggesting cross-priming as the key mechanism for antigen presentation by SAM vaccines. In our study we investigated the possibility to enhance the immune response induced in mice by a single immunization with SAM by increasing the recruitment of APCs at the site of injection. To enhance SAM immunogenicity, we selected murine granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) as a model chemoattractant for APCs, and developed a SAM-GM-CSF vector. We evaluated whether the use of SAM-GM-CSF in combination with a SAM construct encoding the Influenza A virus nucleoprotein (NP) would lead to an increase of APC recruitment and NP-specific immune response. We indeed observed that the administration of SAM-GM-CSF enhances the recruitment of APCs at the injection site. Consistently with our hypothesis, co-administration of SAM-GM-CSF with SAM-NP significantly improved the magnitude of NP-specific CD8+ T-cell response both in terms of frequency of cytotoxic antigen-specific CD8+ T-cells and their functional activity in vivo. Furthermore, co-immunization with SAM-GM-CSF and SAM-NP provided an increase in protection against a lethal challenge with influenza virus. In conclusion, we demonstrated that increased recruitment of APCs at the site of injection is associated with an enhanced effectiveness of SAM vaccination and might be a powerful tool to potentiate the efficacy of RNA vaccination.     

NS mRNA表达检测对恶性葡萄胎的诊断意义

目的：探讨Nucleostemin基因（NS mRNA）表达检测对恶性葡萄胎的诊断意义。方法研究对象分为四组，A组为正常足月产孕妇，100例，采集羊水脱落细胞；B组为药物流产孕妇，100例，排除其他疾病，采集流产的胚胎绒毛组织； C组为良性葡萄胎患者，20例，采集葡萄胎组织和羊水脱落细胞；D组为恶性葡萄胎患者，19例，采集葡萄胎组织和羊水脱落细胞。采用Real-time PCR方法检测四组标本中Nucleostemin mRNA的表达水平。结果羊水脱落细胞和胚胎组织中Nucleostemin mRNA表达水平和阳性率以D组最高，C组次之。在羊水脱落细胞和胚胎组织中检测Nucleostemin mRNA，对于诊断恶性葡萄胎，敏感性、特异性和准确度均较好。结论 Nucleostemin基因高表达可能在葡萄胎的发生发展中起重要用，羊水脱落细胞和胚胎组织中Nucleostemin mRNA的检测有望成为恶性葡萄胎诊断的辅助指标。     

Preliminary functional inquiry of lncRNA ENST00000433673 in embryo implantation using bioinformatics analysis

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), a class of non-coding RNA, have been shown to be essential in many diseases, such as infertility. Here, we found three candidate lncRNAs, ENST00000414116, ENST00000433673, and ENST00000448179, that are highly expressed in the uterus endometrial tissues of normal patients compared to the tissues of patients with adenomyosis, endometriosis, and recurrent implantation failure. lncRNAs ENST00000414116 and ENST00000433673 showed high expression in endometrial stromal cells (ESCs) and endometrial epithelial cells (EECs), respectively, and lncRNA ENST00000448179 was specifically expressed in ESCs. The bioinformatics analysis results indicated that the target mRNAs of lncRNA ENST00000433673 were related to biological adhesion. Interestingly, intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM1), an interacting mRNA of the target mRNA integrin subunit alpha L (ITGAL), has been reported be an important regulator of embryo implantation. Further studies found that the target mRNA ITGAL and the interacting mRNA ICAM1 were highly expressed in the uterus endometrial tissues and EECs of normal patients. Based on our results, our study indicates that lncRNA ENST00000433673 might mediate the high expression of the target mRNA ITGAL, thereby promoting the expression of the interacting mRNA ICAM1 and the adhesion of EECs, which facilitates adhesion and implantation between the embryo and the mater.

Abbreviations: AMs: adenomyosis; EMs: endometriosis; RIF: recurrent implantation failure; miRNAs: microRNAs; lncRNAs: Long non-coding RNAs; RT-qPCR: real-time quantitative PCR; ESCs: endometrial stromal cells; EECs: endometrial epithelial cells; BFE: free binding energy; PCDHB9: protocadherin beta 9; PARVG: parvin gamma; MAPK6: mitogen-activated protein kinase 6; LAF1: lymphocyte function-associated antigen 1     

糖尿病肛漏创面应用美洲大蠊提取液的lncRNA高通量测序及维恩图分析＊

目的 基于高通量测序及维恩图预测美洲大蠊提取液促进糖尿病肛漏创面愈合的顺、反式lncRNA及Pathway。方法 选取湖南中医药大学第二附属医院收治的糖尿病肛漏患者术后创面12例，利用高通量测序技术检测6例术后创面组（A组）和6例术后创面应用美洲大蠊提取液创面组（B组）中lncRNAs和mRNAs表达，进行GO分析和KEGG通路分析，构建lncRNA-mRNA的共表达网络图，并通过Cis-及Trans-预测与创面愈合相关lncRNA。结果 实验组差异表达的lncRNAs2242个（上调649个，下调1593个），mRNAs有13186个（上调5162个，下调8024个）。GO分析发现差异表达的lncRNA-cis主要富集在表皮细胞分化、上皮细胞分化、细胞代谢过程的调节等；差异表达的lncRNA-trans主要富集在细胞代谢过程、蛋白质结合、细胞内部分等。通过KEGG通路分析，筛选出与本研究相关的3条通路：IBD、MAPK signaling pathway、AMPK signaling pathway；lncRNA靶标基因预测中最终筛选出3个lncRNA（ENST00000443364、ENST00000576797、ENST00000620167），进行PCR验证，lncRNAENST00000443364、ENST00000576797与芯片结果一致。结论 美洲大蠊提取液可能通过lncRNAENST00000443364、ENST00000576797顺式及反式调控靶标基因，影响表皮细胞分化、上皮细胞分化、细胞代谢过程的调节等功能以及影响IBD、MAPK signaling pathway、AMPK signaling pathway促进糖尿病肛漏创面愈合。