Development of a Ready-to-Use-Type RNA Vaccine Carrier Based on an Intracellular Environment-Responsive Lipid-like Material with Immune-Activating Vitamin E Scaffolds.

Because of its efficient and robust gene transfer capability, messenger RNA (mRNA) has become a promising tool in various research fields. The lipid nanoparticle (LNP) is considered to be a fundamental technology for an mRNA delivery system and has been used extensively for the development of RNA vaccines against SARS-CoV-2. We recently developed ssPalm, an environmentally responsive lipid-like material, as a component of LNP for mRNA delivery.

Development of an Alcohol Dilution-Lyophilization Method for the Preparation of mRNA-LNPs with Improved Storage Stability.

The lipid nanoparticle (LNP) is one of the promising nanotechnologies for the delivery of RNA molecules, such as small interfering RNA (siRNA) and messenger RNA (mRNA). A series of LNPs that contain an mRNA encoding the antigen protein of SARS-CoV-2 were already approved as RNA vaccines against this infectious disease. Since LNP formulations are generally metastable, their physicochemical properties are expected to shift toward a more stable state during the long-time storage of suspensions.

Effects on Metabolism in Astrocytes Caused by cGAMP, Which Imitates the Initial Stage of Brain Metastasis.

The second messenger 2'3'-cyclic-GMP-AMP (cGAMP) is thought to be transmitted from brain carcinomas to astrocytes via gap junctions, which functions to promote metastasis in the brain parenchyma. In the current study, we established a method to introduce cGAMP into astrocytes, which simulates the state of astrocytes that have been invaded by cGAMP around tumors. Astrocytes incorporating cGAMP were analyzed by metabolomics, which demonstrated that cGAMP increased glutamate production and astrocyte secretion.

Development of an Alcohol Dilution-Lyophilization Method for Preparing Lipid Nanoparticles Containing Encapsulated siRNA.

Systems for delivering nucleic acids are now fundamental technologies for realizing personalized medicine. Among the various nucleic acid delivery systems that are currently available, lipid-nanoparticles (LNPs) that contain short interfering RNA (siRNA) have been extensively investigated for clinical applications. LNPs are generally prepared by an alcohol dilution method.

Preparation of envelope-type lipid nanoparticles containing gold nanorods for photothermal cancer therapy.

The use of gold nanorods (AuNRs) that produce heat in response to near infrared (NIR) irradiation is an attractive approach to cancer photothermal therapy. AuNRs are usually prepared by using a highly toxic detergent: cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB). Thus, the removal of CTAB from the reaction mixture, and further stabilization of the surface of the AuNRs is required.