DEVELOPMENT OF A VACCINE FOR LYME DISEASE USING THE NUCLEOSIDE-MODIFIED mRNA-LNP PLATFORM

Lyme disease is the most common vector-borne infectious disease in the United States, in part because a vaccine against it is not currently available for humans. We propose utilizing the lipid nanoparticle-encapsulated nucleoside-modified mRNA (mRNA-LNP) platform to generate a Lyme disease vaccine like the successful clinical vaccines against SARS-CoV-2. Of the antigens expressed by Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme disease, outer surface protein A (OspA) is the most promising candidate for vaccine development. We have designed and synthesized an OspA-encoding mRNA-LNP vaccine and compared its immunogenicity and protective efficacy to an alum-adjuvanted OspA protein subunit vaccine. OspA mRNA-LNP induced superior humoral and cell-mediated immune responses in mice after a single immunization. These potent immune responses resulted in protection against bacterial infection. Our study demonstrates that highly efficient mRNA vaccines can be developed against bacterial targets.

Author dc:creator

• Pine, Matthew, Brian

Advisors dc:contributor.advisor

• Pardi, Norbert
• Weissman, Drew

• Microbiology

Language dc:language.iso

en

Repository record dc:identifier.uri

https://repository.upenn.edu/handle/20.500.14332/59145

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:repository.upenn.edu:20.500.14332/59145