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New mRNA technology turns cells into long-lasting drug factories

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2024-07-27 12:30:03

This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies. Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:

A team of researchers has established a ribonucleic acid (RNA)-based method that drives cells in the body to produce therapeutic proteins and secrete them into the bloodstream. The approach could potentially extend the lifespan of drugs in the body, reducing the burden on patients who require frequent drug administrations.

The researchers, based at UT Southwestern Medical Center, leveraged a naturally occurring biomolecule called a signal peptide that determines where cells send proteins—acting like a shipping label—to release proteins into the blood that would normally remain in the cell.

In their paper, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the new approach enabled secretion and increased the circulation time of a therapeutic protein compared to standard injections in a mouse model of psoriasis, demonstrating beneficial effects in these mice and separately, in animal models of cancer.