title: RNA-Based Vaccines in Cancer Immunotherapy.
abstract: RNA vaccines traditionally consist of messenger RNA synthesized by in vitro transcription using a bacteriophage RNA polymerase and template DNA that encodes the antigen(s) of interest. Once administered and internalized by host cells, the mRNA transcripts are translated directly in the cytoplasm and then the resulting antigens are presented to antigen presenting cells to stimulate an immune response. Alternatively, dendritic cells can be loaded with either tumor associated antigen mRNA or total tumor RNA and delivered to the host to elicit a specific immune response. In this review, we will explain why RNA vaccines represent an attractive platform for cancer immunotherapy, discuss modifications to RNA structure that have been developed to optimize mRNA vaccine stability and translational efficiency, and describe strategies for nonviral delivery of mRNA vaccines, highlighting key preclinical and clinical data related to cancer immunotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
authors.forename: Megan A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: McNamara
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA ; Department of Pathology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
authors.forename: Smita K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Nair
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
authors.forename: Eda K
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Holl
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017951:Antigen Presentation; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D019496:Cancer Vaccines / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000502:physiology* / Q000637:transplantation; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006801:Humans; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D019496:Cancer Vaccines; D012333:RNA, Messenger