Biology subjects

Cruz-Morales, E.

Publications and source records attributed to Cruz-Morales, E..

2 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2025

The type I IFN-IL-27 axis promotes mRNA vaccine-induced CD8+ T cell responses

The ability of lipid nanoparticle (LNP)-delivered mRNA vaccines to induce type I IFNs is critical to promote CD8+ T cell responses. The studies presented here indicate that immunization with nucleoside modified mRNA-LNP vaccines drives myeloid cell expression of the cytokine IL-27, which acts on antigen-specific CD8+ T cells to sustain T cell expansion. In vitro and in vivo studies revealed that type I IFN signaling is necessary for mRNA-LNP-induced IL-27 production, that immunization failed in IL-27 KO mice, and that immunization of IFNAR1-deficient mice with mRNA-LNP particles that also encode IL-27 mRNA restored antigen-specific CD8+ T cell responses. In addition, IL-27 mRNA-LNPs served as an adjuvant that improved cytolytic CD8+ T cell responses and the therapeutic efficacy of mRNA-LNPs to drive anti-pathogen and anti-tumor immunity. These studies highlight the central role of IL-27 in mRNA-LNP induced CD8+ T cell responses and the ability of this cytokine to augment the functionality of the CD8+ T cell response for prophylactic or therapeutic immunization.

immunology↗

bioRxiv2024

An IL-12 mRNA-LNP adjuvant enhances mRNA-LNP vaccine induced CD8+ T cell responses

The design of vaccines that induce CD8+ T cell responses has historically been a challenge, but the development of viral vectors or lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) to deliver mRNA that encode for target antigens provide more effective strategies to generate protective CD8+ T cell memory. Because interleukin-12 (IL-12) supports CD8+ T cell expansion and acquisition of effector functions, studies were performed to assess its contribution to the ability of an mRNA vaccine to promote CD8+ T cell responses. In vitro and in vivo, mRNA-LNPs did not stimulate myeloid cell production of IL-12, and the CD8+ T cell response to vaccination with the model antigen ovalbumin (OVA) was IL-12 independent. However, co-administration of IL-12 mRNA-LNPs with OVA mRNA-LNPs enhanced OVA-specific CD8+ T cell expansion, improved acquisition of effector function and resulted in an expanded memory CD8+ T cell pool. These heightened responses were associated with improved protective responses against Listeria monocytogenes-OVA and B16 FO-OVA melanoma. Thus, modification of mRNA vaccine formulations by inclusion of a cytokine mRNA provides a strategy to enhance CD8+ T cell mediated protection.

immunology↗