Monitoring mRNA vaccine antigen expression in vivo using PET/CT.

Noninvasive visualization of the distribution and persistence of mRNA vaccine antigen expression in mammalian systems has implications for the development and evaluation of future mRNA vaccines. Here, we genetically fuse E. coli dihydrofolate reductase (eDHFR) to the delta furin diproline modified SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein (S2P) mRNA vaccine and image its expression in female mice and male non-human primates using [F]fluoropropyl-trimethoprim ([F]FP-TMP).

A Chemical Approach for Programmable Protein Outputs Based on Engineered Cell Interactions.

Cell-cell interactions and communication are crucial to the proper function of complex mammalian physiology including neurocognitive and immune system functions. While many tools are available for observing and perturbing intracellular processes, relatively few exist to probe intercellular processes. Current techniques for studying interactions often rely on direct protein contact, and few can manipulate diverse, functional outputs with tunable protein expression.

HIV-1 vaccine design through minimizing envelope metastability.

Overcoming envelope metastability is crucial to trimer-based HIV-1 vaccine design. Here, we present a coherent vaccine strategy by minimizing metastability. For 10 strains across five clades, we demonstrate that the gp41 ectodomain (gp41) is the main source of envelope metastability by replacing wild-type gp41 with BG505 gp41 of the uncleaved prefusion-optimized (UFO) design.