mRNA vaccines for infectious diseases: research progress and applications

Abstract:

Messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines emerge as promising vaccines to prevent infectious diseases. Compared with traditional vaccines, mRNA vaccines present numerous advantages, such as high potency, safe administration, rapid production potentials, and cost-effective manufacturing. In 2020, two COVID-19 vaccines (BNT162b2 and mRNA-1273) were approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The two vaccines showed high efficiency in combating COVID-19, which indicates the great advantages of mRNA technology in developing vaccines against emergent infectious diseases. Here, we summarize the type, immune mechanisms, modification methods of mRNA vaccines, and their applications in preventing infectious diseases. Current challenges and future perspectives in developing mRNA vaccines are also discussed.