mRNA vaccines sprang to prominence because of their usage in COVID-19 vaccinations.
Gloved hand-holding mRNA vaccine. Image Credit: Genizer LLC
What is mRNA?
Ribonucleic acid (RNA) is a genetic material that a ribosome reads while producing a protein. It provides instructions to the cell on how to construct a protein.
What Does RNA Have to Do With Vaccines?
Non-mRNA vaccinations often use an inert or weakened form of the pathogen to induce an immune response and develop an immunological "memory" for a prospective infection with the real thing, allowing your body to recognize and fight it off more rapidly.
An mRNA vaccine is similar, except that the mRNA uses your cells' own machinery to produce a protein that represents the pathogen, which your immune system then recognizes.1
How Were RNA Vaccines Developed?
Timeline of mRNA vaccine development. Image Credit: Genizer LLC
Learning how to use mRNA for vaccinations was a complicated process. The existence of mRNA was only proved in 1961.2 mRNA vaccine research began in the 1990s at the University of Wisconsin.3 However, overcoming degradation proved difficult because RNA is not very stable in humans.4
In 2013, a human rabies mRNA vaccine was tested in the United States.4 mRNA vaccines became much more viable after adding lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) that enveloped the mRNA and increased its stability long enough to be delivered to the cell.4
The first LNP vaccines for the Ebola virus were developed in 2018.5 In December 2020, Pfizer-BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine received emergency use permission.4
Liposome Nanoparticles and mRNA Vaccines
Liposomes are made of phospholipids and have a spherical structure comparable to a cell membrane. Liposome extrusion can be used to change the size of liposomes. Liposomes are extruded by applying pressure on a membrane.
The membranes have pores, which can be adjusted to determine the size of the liposomes following extrusion. Genizer's liposome extrusion equipment has been used in studies on mRNA vaccines.
If you are investigating mRNA vaccines or looking to enhance the biocompatibility of an active ingredient, contact the Genizer’s team at [email protected].
References
- MedlinePlus (2022). What are mRNA vaccines and how do they work?. (online) Available at: https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/understanding/therapy/mrnavaccines/.
- Pasteur, I. (2021). Discovery of messenger RNA in 1961. (online) Institut Pasteur. Available at: https://pasteur.fr/en/home/research-journal/news/discovery-messenger-rna-1961?language=fr (Accessed 12 Feb. 2025).
- VWR. History of mRNA Vaccines. (online) Available at: https://us.vwr.com/cms/history-of-mRNA-vaccines.
- Beyrer, C. (2021). The long history of mRNA vaccines. (online) Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Available at: https://publichealth.jhu.edu/2021/the-long-history-of-mrna-vaccines.
- Meyer, M., et al. (2018). Modified mRNA-Based Vaccines Elicit Robust Immune Responses and Protect Guinea Pigs From Ebola Virus Disease. The Journal of Infectious Diseases, (online) 217(3), pp.451–455. https://doi.org/10.1093/infdis/jix592.
This information has been sourced, reviewed and adapted from materials provided by Genizer LLC.
For more information on this source, please visit Genizer LLC.