An American team has succeeded in developing an RNA vaccine against cancer, the results of which are very encouraging. Their secret: bubbles of lipids that deliver the vaccine to the lymphatic system.
In parallel with their success in Covid-19, RNA vaccines represent immense hope in the fight against cancer. Throughout the world, many projects have been launched to try to develop an injection that could overcome tumors and their metastases. For now, the results are not satisfactory enough. About twenty clinical trials have already been launched, but most come up against the same problem: a large part of the injected RNA arrives in the liver, an organ which is not conducive to a good immune response (in addition to the risk inflammation of the liver). The goal is to direct antigens to the lymphatic system where lymphocytes (white blood cells) and T cells are concentrated to learn how to fight an outside infection. This is a challenge that the Tufts School of Engineering (United States) has managed to meet, where a team has developed a vaccine with very interesting results. Results published in the specialized journal PNAS.
Vaccines consist of reproducing a small portion of messenger RNA, ie a genetic code that corresponds to cancer antigens. This portion of RNA will create antibodies in the body of the vaccinated patient. By inoculating the patient with it, the vaccine provides the body with a kind of instruction manual for making small, harmless cancer targets on which the white blood cells can train, before going to destroy the real tumor.
For its work, the Tuft School of Engineering performed its experiments on mice with metastatic melanoma. And the performance of the vaccine was impressive, since the tumors were significantly inhibited. In addition to this, 40% of the mice showed complete remission, with no tumors and no long-term recurrence when additionally given an existing treatment (which prevents the tumors from suppressing the immune response). The results suggest that the […]
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