Publications by authors named "Krunal Polra"

Therapeutic self-amplifying RNA (saRNA) is a promising approach for disease treatment, as it can be administered in lower doses than messenger RNA (mRNA) to achieve comparable protein production levels. However, saRNA requires an appropriate delivery vehicle to protect it during transit and facilitate its transfection. A widely-adopted approach has been to use polycations to condense these large anionic macromolecules into polyplex nanoparticles, however their high charge density often elicits cytotoxic effects.

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Self-amplifying RNA (saRNA) is a next-generation vaccine platform, but like all nucleic acids, requires a delivery vehicle to promote cellular uptake and protect the saRNA from degradation. To date, delivery platforms for saRNA have included lipid nanoparticles (LNP), polyplexes and cationic nanoemulsions; of these LNP are the most clinically advanced with the recent FDA approval of COVID-19 based-modified mRNA vaccines. While the effect of RNA on vaccine immunogenicity is well studied, the role of biomaterials in saRNA vaccine effectiveness is under investigated.

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There are increasing concerns of infections by enteroviruses (EVs) causing severe disease in humans. EV diagnostic laboratory methods show differences in sensitivity and specificity as well as the level of genetic information provided. We examined a detection method for EVs based on next generation sequencing (NGS) analysis of amplicons covering the entire capsid coding region directly synthesized from clinical samples.

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Article Synopsis
  • - A new self-amplifying RNA vaccine for SARS-CoV-2, encapsulated in lipid nanoparticles, shows promise for rapid development and scalability during the pandemic.
  • - Testing in mice reveals strong, dose-dependent antibody responses against SARS-CoV-2, with effective neutralization of both pseudo and wild-type viruses, even surpassing the responses seen in recovered COVID-19 patients.
  • - The vaccine promotes a Th1-biased immune response without causing antibody-dependent enhancement, and it triggers significant cellular responses upon exposure to viral peptides, highlighting its potential for clinical application.
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