Physical radiofrequency adjuvant enhances immune responses to influenza H5N1 vaccination.

Pre-pandemic influenza H5N1 vaccine has relatively low immunogenicity and often requires high antigen amounts and two immunizations to induce protective immunity. Incorporation of vaccine adjuvants is promising to stretch vaccine doses during pandemic outbreaks. This study presents a physical radiofrequency (RF) adjuvant (RFA) to conveniently and effectively increase the immunogenicity and efficacy of H5N1 vaccine without modification of vaccine preparation.

An Update on mRNA-Based Viral Vaccines.

With the success of COVID-19 vaccines, newly created mRNA vaccines against other infectious diseases are beginning to emerge. Here, we review the structural elements required for designing mRNA vaccine constructs for effective in vitro synthetic transcription reactions. The unprecedently speedy development of mRNA vaccines against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was enabled with previous innovations in nucleoside modifications during in vitro transcription and lipid nanoparticle delivery materials of mRNA.

Towards Goals to Refine Prophylactic and Therapeutic Strategies Against COVID-19 Linked to Aging and Metabolic Syndrome.

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) gave rise to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. A strong correlation has been demonstrated between worse COVID-19 outcomes, aging, and metabolic syndrome (MetS), which is primarily derived from obesity-induced systemic chronic low-grade inflammation with numerous complications, including type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The majority of COVID-19 deaths occurs in people over the age of 65.

Immunogenicity and Neutralizing Activity Comparison of SARS-CoV-2 Spike Full-Length and Subunit Domain Proteins in Young Adult and Old-Aged Mice.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) continues to be expanding the pandemic disease across the globe. Although SARS-CoV-2 vaccines were rapidly developed and approved for emergency use of vaccination in humans, supply and production difficulties are slowing down the global vaccination program. The efficacy of many different versions of vaccine candidates and adjuvant effects remain unknown, particularly in the elderly.

Broad cross protection by recombinant live attenuated influenza H3N2 seasonal virus expressing conserved M2 extracellular domain in a chimeric hemagglutinin.

Hemagglutinin (HA)-based current vaccines provide suboptimum cross protection. Influenza A virus contains an ion channel protein M2 conserved extracellular domain (M2e), a target for developing universal vaccines. Here we generated reassortant influenza virus rgH3N2 4xM2e virus (HA and NA from A/Switzerland/9715293/2013/(H3N2)) expressing chimeric 4xM2e-HA fusion proteins with 4xM2e epitopes inserted into the H3 HA N-terminus.