Pulmonary mRNA-LNP Vaccines for Rapid and Durable Protection Against Bacterial Infection

Abstract

Pulmonary bacterial infections remain a major clinical challenge. Although vaccination reduces infection rates and mortality, the vulnerable post-vaccination immunity gap can still result in infection and vaccine failure. In addition, effective vaccines are unavailable for many clinically important bacterial pathogens. Here, we report a pulmonary mRNA-lipid nanoparticle (mRNA-LNP) vaccine incorporating a novel ionizable lipid engineered for localized high-level expression, which elicits both rapid and durable protections against bacterial lung infections, effectively bridging this critical window of vulnerability. Intratracheal delivery of mRNA-LNP rapidly primes lung neutrophils and macrophages into a transcriptionally pre-activated state, enhancing their phagocytic activity and enabling rapid, antigen-independent bacterial clearance during the early post-vaccination period (approximately 1-7 days). Subsequently, vaccination induces potent antigen-specific adaptive responses, conferring sustained protection against both laboratory and clinical drug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains. Single-cell transcriptomics and immune profiling reveal coordinated activation of innate and adaptive immune programs. This dual-phase immune response exemplifies a paradigm-shifting vaccine design that integrates innate and adaptive immunity to confer both immediate and long-term protection. Our findings establish a mechanistic basis for rapid antibacterial defense and highlight pulmonary mRNA-LNP vaccination as a promising strategy for combating respiratory infections.