Researchers from MIT, Harvard and the University of Houston have developed a new adjuvant that strengthens the T-cell response against tumors in mRNA vaccines. The team, led by Daniel Anderson, reported that mRNA molecules carrying two genes made immune cells more active.
The lipid nanoparticles, which were used in models of bladder cancer, colon carcinoma, melanoma and metastatic lung cancer, slowed the growth of some tumors and eliminated many tumors. The effect was also observed when no vaccine targeting a specific cancer antigen was administered; the response was stronger when used together with a vaccine. The adjuvant also increased the response to FDA-approved checkpoint inhibitors.
When administered together with Covid or flu vaccines, the T-cell response in mice was 10 to 15 times stronger than normal. The researchers plan to test the method in additional animal models to further develop it for cancer and infectious diseases.
Why it matters
The findings indicate that the approach could encompass not only vaccine designs based on a specific tumor antigen, but also treatment strategies aimed at activating the immune system more broadly. The stronger response achieved in combination with checkpoint inhibitors highlights the question of how the research could be used alongside existing immunotherapy applications. The results obtained with Covid and flu vaccines indicate that the same technology could also be studied in immune responses beyond cancer, although these results are limited to experiments in mice. The key questions that therefore remain open are whether the effect can be replicated in different animal models and whether it can be translated into a safe and effective application in humans.