HIV and Messenger RNA (mRNA) Vaccine.

Khizer Khalid,Gutteridge Jean-Charles,Ola A Al-Ewaidat,Sandeep Padda,Anwar Khedr,Jaskamal Padda,Ayden Charlene Cooper,Ujala Zubair,Dina Ismail

doi:10.7759/cureus.16197

Abstract

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a part of the lentivirus genus of the retroviridae family that incorporates its genome into the host DNA via a series of complex steps. HIV can be classified into two types, HIV-type 1 (HIV-1) and HIV-type 2 (HIV-2), with HIV-1 being the most common type worldwide. Seventy-six million people have been infected since the start of the pandemic, with a mortality rate of 33 million. Even after 40 years, no cure has been developed for this pandemic. The development of the mRNA vaccine has led to further research for the utilization of mRNA vaccine in HIV, in attempts to create a prophylactic and therapeutic treatment. Although messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccine has been around for many years, it has recently drawn attention due to its role and response in the unforeseen coronavirus pandemic. mRNA vaccine has faced its fair-share of challenges, but it also offers many advantages compared to conventional vaccines such as safety, efficacy, rapid preparation, and versatility. mRNA vaccine has shown promising results and has great potential. In this review, we discuss the types of mRNA vaccine, along with development, delivery, advantages, challenges, and how we are working to overcome these challenges.

Highlights

BackgroundSince the start of the human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) pandemic, 76 million people have been infected with 33 million deaths
Patients that were infected with Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 and undergoing highly active antiretroviral therapy were administered autologous dendritic cells (DC) electroporated with messenger RNA (mRNA) encoding different viral antigens
Another trial conducted on macaques by Bogers, et al worked on a self-amplifying RNA vaccine expressing HIV-type 1 (HIV-1) envelope glycoprotein delivered with a cationic nanoemulsion system (CNE), the latter induced a strong cellular immune response with neutralizing antibodies [43]

Summary

Introduction

Since the start of the human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) pandemic, 76 million people have been infected with 33 million deaths. Patients that were infected with HIV-1 and undergoing highly active antiretroviral therapy were administered autologous DCs electroporated with mRNA encoding different viral antigens This strategy was safe and effective in generating humoral and cellular immune responses, but there was no significant clinical benefit [46,47,48,49,50,51,52]. The preliminary results were promising as they demonstrated enough potency, minimal toxicity, with specific antigenic immune responses [42] Another trial conducted on macaques by Bogers, et al worked on a self-amplifying RNA vaccine expressing HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein delivered with a cationic nanoemulsion system (CNE), the latter induced a strong cellular immune response with neutralizing antibodies [43]. Recruitment will begin in the second half of 2021, in the prospect of finding better answers to the HIV epidemic [63]

Conclusions

Findings

Disclosures