Nanoparticle Delivery of Alu RNA Adjuvants Enhances Vaccine Immunogenicity.

ABSTRACT: Vaccine adjuvants stimulate innate immunity to enhance and shape adaptive immune responses. However, approved adjuvants typically elicit weak CD8⁺ T cell responses to protein- and peptide-based vaccines, motivating an investigation into the discovery and testing of new adjuvants. Unedited forms of endogenous Alu RNAs are sensed by pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) to trigger sterile inflammation, and therefore we hypothesized that synthetic Alu RNA molecules could be harnessed as vaccine adjuvants. To enhance their intracellular delivery, Alu RNA was copackaged with a model antigen into polymer nanoparticles that promoted endosomal escape of Alu RNA to the cytosol. Using this nanovaccine formulation, we found that Alu RNA activated antigen-presenting cells in vitro and in vac

SUBMITTER: Kwiatkowski AJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12442014 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature