New mRNA Delivery Method Uses Extracellular Vesicles

Scientists at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have developed a new method for delivering mRNA therapeutics using extracellular vesicles (EVs). The technique utilizes EV-encapsulated mRNA to initiate and sustain protein production in cells. The research, which was recently published in the journal Nature Biomedical Engineering, demonstrates the potential for EV mRNA therapy as a viable platform for mRNA delivery.

The success of messenger RNA therapeutics largely depends on the availability of delivery systems that enable the safe, effective, and stable translation of genetic material into functional proteins.

In this study, the researchers used EVs produced via cellular nanoporation from human dermal fibroblasts, and encapsulating mRNA encoding for extracellular-matrix α1 type-I collagen (COL1A1) to induce the formation of collagen-protein grafts and reduce wrinkle formation in the collagen-depleted dermal tissue of mice with photoaged skin.

The team also demonstrated that the intradermal delivery of the mRNA-loaded EVs via a microneedle array led to the prolonged and more uniform synthesis and replacement of collagen in the dermis of the animals. This opens the door for further evaluation of EV mRNA therapy as a viable platform for mRNA delivery. It has the potential to address several health issues, from protein loss in aging to hereditary disorders where certain genes or proteins are missing.

The corresponding author of the study, Betty Kim, M.D., Ph.D., Professor of Neurosurgery, explains, "This is an entirely new modality for delivering mRNA," and "We used it in our study to initiate collagen production in cells, but it has the potential to be a delivery system for a number of mRNA therapies that currently have no good method for being delivered."

The team behind the study says that there is still work to be done to bring this to the clinic, but the early results are promising. The use of EV-mRNA technique is a promising alternative to traditional methods such as viral-based and lipid nanoparticles, which have certain limitations and challenges.