Overview

• In mouse models, IL-12–encoding mRNA lipid nanoparticles co-administered with SARS-CoV-2 and influenza antigens triggered amplified CD8+ T cell proliferation, cytokine production and cytolytic activity.
• The IL-12 adjuvant conferred enhanced protection against melanoma tumors and Listeria monocytogenes compared with standard mRNA vaccine formulations.
• Integration of IL-12 into mRNA-LNP formulations could allow lower vaccine doses and fewer booster shots, potentially reducing adverse reactions and logistical burdens.
• Funded by NIH’s Adjuvant Discovery Program and the Basser Cancer Interception Institute, the study appeared June 6 in Science Immunology and reflects collaboration among Penn’s vaccine, cytokine biology and nanoparticle engineering teams.
• Ongoing research is testing IL-12 mRNA-LNP adjuvants in HIV vaccine candidates and adapting the platform to veterinary infectious diseases such as avian influenza.