https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsb.2025.10.006
This new article publication from
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B, discusses how an innovative and stable mRNA-LNP microneedle vaccine elicits humoral and multifunctional cellular immune responses.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the use of lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) augmented the development of mRNA vaccines. However, their ultralow-temperature storage and transportation requirements, as well as their heavy reliance on injection by professional medical staff, have limited large-scale vaccination in many developing countries. The authors of this article developed a simple and widely deployable microneedle (MN) vaccine delivery system (mLNP-man-MN) for mannose-modified LNPs (mLNP-man) loaded with mRNA encoding the SARS-CoV-2 spike receptor-binding domain by utilizing three-dimensional printing and polydimethylsiloxane micro molding methods. This delivery system is composed of a dissolvable polymer mixture that was optimized for high bioactivity by screening formulations
in vitro. It was demonstrated that this MN system can maintain the physicochemical properties and bioactivity of the mRNA-LNP complex even when stored at 4 °C for at least one month or at 25 °C for two weeks. Moreover, mLNP-man-MNs target the epidermis and dermis, which are rich in antigen-presenting cells, thereby eliciting effective innate immune responses and inducing robust systemic humoral responses, as well as multifunctional cellular immunity in the spleen. Importantly, the MN system induced a certain level of pulmonary T-cell responses compared to those induced by intramuscular injections, thereby providing some protection against lung invasion by the SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus in mice.
Keywords: Microneedle, mRNA, Lipid nanoparticles, Mannose, Stability, Antigen-presenting cells, Systemic humoral, Cellularc immunity
Graphical Abstract: available at
https://ars.els-cdn.com/content/image/1-s2.0-S2211383525006793-ga1_lrg.jpg
A simple and widely deployable microneedle (MN) vaccine delivery system (mLNP-man-MN) was developed for mannose-modified LNPs (mLNP-man) loaded with mRNA encoding the SARS-CoV-2 spike receptor-binding domain by utilizing three-dimensional printing and polydimethylsiloxane micro molding methods.
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The Journal of the
Institute of Materia Medica, the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and the
Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.
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https://www.journals.elsevier.com/acta-pharmaceutica-sinica-b/
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CiteScore: 24.3
Impact Factor: 14.6 (Top 6 journal in the category of Pharmacology and pharmacy)
JIF without self-citation: 13.8
ISSN 2211-3835
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Xiaoxuan Hong, Xianfu Li, Xiaolu Han, Jinghu Lou, Yue Li, Jintao Lin, Yi Cheng, Haonan Xing, Hui Zhang, Xiwei Wang, Shuang Zhang, Nan Liu, Zengming Wang, Chunying Cui, Aiping Zheng, An innovative and stable mRNA-LNP microneedle vaccine elicits humoral and multifunctional cellular immune responses, Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B, Volume 16, Issue 1, 2026, Pages 503-521, ISSN 2211-3835,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsb.2025.10.006