Introduction to New mRNA Vaccine for Brain Cancer in Children

Welcome to PreCrack! Recently, a good news was in circulation that scientists have developed a new mRNA vaccine for Brain cancer in children. The newly developed mRNA vaccine for brain cancer in children aims to trigger the immune system to fight cancer cells from within the body.

Why is the New mRNA Vaccine in the news? – UPSC Current Affairs 2024

The New mRNA Vaccine is making headlines due to the development of a groundbreaking mRNA vaccine aimed at combatting Brain cancer in Children. Traditional treatments often struggle to penetrate the brain’s protective barrier, leading to limited efficacy and debilitating side effects.

What is this new Vaccine?

The new vaccine that recently developed, is an mRNA (messenger RNA) vaccine designed to combat brain cancer, particularly in children. Unlike traditional vaccines that introduce weakened or inactivated pathogens to stimulate an immune response, mRNA vaccines work by delivering genetic instructions to cells, instructing them to produce specific proteins.

How does it Work?

This is how this vaccine works:

1. The vaccine is developed using mRNA from the patient’s cancer cells.
2. This mRNA contains instructions for making tumor antigens.
3. The vaccine is injected into the patient’s bloodstream.
4. Specialized nanoparticles deliver the mRNA to immune system organs.
5. Inside these organs, cells receive the mRNA instructions.
6. Cells follow the instructions and produce tumor antigens.
7. Tumor antigens signal the immune system to wake up.
8. The immune system recognizes these antigens as “foreign” or harmful.
9. Immune cells learn to identify and attack cancer cells displaying these antigens.
10. This process helps the body’s immune system fight against the cancer more effectively.

We can understand it in more explained manner:-

1. Development of the Vaccine: Scientists isolate mRNA from the patient’s own cancer cells. This mRNA serves as a blueprint or instruction manual for producing specific proteins called tumor antigens.
2. Instruction for Antigen Production: The mRNA contains the genetic instructions necessary for cells to produce these tumor antigens.
3. Administration of the Vaccine: The vaccine, containing the mRNA, is administered to the patient through injection, typically into the bloodstream.
4. Delivery via Nanoparticles: To ensure effective delivery, the mRNA is encapsulated within specialized nanoparticles. These nanoparticles act as carriers, facilitating the transport of mRNA to immune system organs such as the lymph nodes.
5. Uptake by Immune Cells: Immune cells, particularly antigen-presenting cells (APCs) like dendritic cells, uptake the mRNA-containing nanoparticles.
6. Processing of mRNA by Cells: Once inside the immune cells, the mRNA is processed, and the instructions encoded in it are read.
7. Antigen Production: Following the instructions from the mRNA, the immune cells start producing the tumor antigens.
8. Immune System Activation: The tumor antigens act as signals or flags, alerting the immune system to the presence of abnormal or harmful cells—cancer cells, in this case.
9. Recognition by Immune Cells: Immune cells, such as T cells, are trained to recognize these tumor antigens as foreign or aberrant. They become primed and activated to seek out and destroy cells displaying these antigens.
10. Attack on Cancer Cells: Activated immune cells circulate throughout the body, targeting and attacking cancer cells that express the specific tumor antigens introduced by the vaccine.

How is it Different from other Vaccines?

The mRNA vaccine for brain cancer differs from traditional vaccines in several key ways:

1. Customized Approach

Unlike conventional vaccines that target infectious agents like viruses or bacteria, this mRNA vaccine is personalized for each patient. It uses mRNA derived from the patient’s own cancer cells to trigger an immune response against specific tumor antigens.

2. Targeted Treatment

Traditional vaccines typically aim to prevent infections by priming the immune system to recognize and neutralize pathogens before they can cause harm. In contrast, this mRNA vaccine is designed to stimulate the immune system to specifically target and attack cancer cells harboring the tumor antigens produced by the vaccine.

3. Mechanism of Action

Conventional vaccines often contain weakened or inactivated forms of pathogens, or components of pathogens, to stimulate an immune response. The mRNA vaccine, on the other hand, delivers genetic instructions (mRNA) directly to cells, instructing them to produce tumor antigens internally. This triggers an immune response against cancer cells presenting these antigens.

4. Application

While traditional vaccines are commonly administered to prevent infectious diseases, the mRNA vaccine is being developed as a therapeutic approach for treating cancer. It aims to harness the body’s immune system to combat existing cancer cells rather than preventing future infections.

5. Adaptability

Traditional vaccines may require significant time and resources to develop and produce, particularly when targeting new or emerging infectious diseases. In contrast, mRNA vaccines offer a more rapid and adaptable platform for vaccine development. They can be quickly tailored to target different types of cancer by modifying the mRNA instructions to produce specific tumor antigens.

Difference between RNA & mRNA Vaccine

These are the key difference between RNA & mRNA Vaccines

Key points:

• RNA vaccines are a theoretical concept and haven’t been used in approved vaccines yet.
• mRNA vaccines are a relatively new type of vaccine but have been successfully used in COVID-19 vaccines.

What are the mRNA Vaccines? – mRNA Vaccine UPSC

We have explained the mRNA Vaccines below:

What are they?

• mRNA vaccines are a new type of vaccine that uses messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) to deliver instructions to your body’s cells.
• mRNA is like a temporary code that tells cells how to make a specific protein.

How do they work?

1. The Vaccine Delivery: The vaccine contains a strand of mRNA that encodes a specific protein, usually a protein found on the surface of a virus or cancer cell.
2. Cellular Uptake: The mRNA is delivered into your immune cells through injection.
3. Protein Production: Once inside the cell, the mRNA is used as a blueprint to create the specific protein.
4. Immune Response: The immune system recognizes the protein as foreign and triggers an immune response. This response includes the creation of antibodies that can fight off the virus or cancer cells.
5. Degradation: The mRNA molecule itself degrades naturally after delivering its instructions.

Advantages of mRNA Vaccines

1. Faster development: mRNA vaccines can be designed and manufactured much quicker than traditional vaccines.
2. Customization: The mRNA can be easily modified to target specific antigens, making them potentially useful for a wider range of diseases.
3. Safety: mRNA doesn’t integrate into your DNA and degrades naturally, reducing the risk of long-term side effects.

Current Applications

• COVID-19 Vaccines: The most prominent example is the mRNA vaccines developed to combat COVID-19. These vaccines target the spike protein found on the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
• Brain Cancer in Children: Scientists have developed a new mRNA Vaccine for treating the brain cancer in children.

Different types of Brain Cancer that can be treated with this new Vaccine

The mRNA vaccine for brain cancer holds promise for treating various types of brain tumors, particularly those that express specific tumor antigens targeted by the vaccine. Some of the brain cancer types that may potentially be treated with this new vaccine include:

1. Glioblastoma: This is one of the most aggressive forms of brain cancer and is often resistant to conventional treatments. Glioblastoma tumors may express specific antigens that can be targeted by the vaccine.
2. Medulloblastoma: This is the most common malignant brain tumor in children. Medulloblastomas may also express tumor antigens that could be targeted by the vaccine, making it a potential candidate for treatment.
3. Pediatric High-Grade Glioma: These are aggressive brain tumors that occur in children and adolescents. Given the urgent need for effective treatments for pediatric brain tumors, vaccines targeting tumor-specific antigens could offer hope for improved outcomes.
4. Astrocytoma: This is a type of brain tumor that arises from astrocytes, a type of glial cell in the brain. Certain subtypes of astrocytomas may express antigens suitable for targeting with the vaccine.
5. Oligodendroglioma: This is another type of brain tumor that originates from oligodendrocytes, another type of glial cell. Oligodendrogliomas may also express tumor-specific antigens that could be targeted by the vaccine.

Key Facts about this New Vaccine

These are some of the key facts about this new mRNA Vaccine for Brain Cancer in Children:

1. Type of Vaccine: The new vaccine is an mRNA-based cancer vaccine developed to combat brain cancer in children.
2. Development: It was developed by a team of scientists from the Brain Tumor Immunotherapy Program at the University of Florida over a period of ten years.
3. Mechanism: The vaccine utilizes mRNA derived from the patient’s own cancer cells to instruct the immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells.
4. Delivery Method: The mRNA vaccine is packaged within specialized nanoparticles made of lipid molecules for efficient delivery into the patient’s bloodstream.
5. Unique Design: Unlike traditional cancer vaccines, this vaccine is designed to be injected into the bloodstream rather than directly into the tumor or surrounding tissue.
6. Immune Response: Upon administration, the vaccine triggers a rapid and powerful immune response within six hours, as evidenced by increased blood markers associated with immune activation.
7. Clinical Trials: The vaccine is currently undergoing early-phase clinical trials, with promising results observed in adult patients with glioblastoma.

UPSC Questions for New mRNA Vaccine for Brain Cancer in Children

Question-1: What are mRNA vaccines?

Answer. mRNA vaccines are a type of vaccine that delivers genetic material called messenger RNA (mRNA) into cells. This mRNA provides instructions for cells to produce a protein that triggers an immune response, ultimately protecting against specific diseases, including infectious diseases and cancer.

Question-2: What is the difference between RNA and mRNA vaccines?

Answer. RNA vaccines typically refer to a broader category of vaccines that utilize RNA molecules, including mRNA vaccines. However, mRNA vaccines specifically use messenger RNA to instruct cells to produce proteins that stimulate an immune response, while other RNA vaccines may use different types of RNA for various purposes.

Question-3: What is this new mRNA vaccine?

Answer. The new mRNA vaccine is a personalized cancer vaccine designed to combat brain cancer in children. It utilizes mRNA derived from the patient’s own cancer cells to trigger an immune response against specific tumor antigens.

Question-4: How does it help in brain cancer in children?

Answer. The mRNA vaccine instructs the immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells expressing tumor antigens derived from the patient’s own cancer cells. This targeted approach aims to activate the immune system to combat brain cancer more effectively, potentially leading to improved outcomes for pediatric patients.

Question-5: Are there any other mRNA vaccines?

Answer. Yes, mRNA vaccines have been developed for various purposes, including vaccines against infectious diseases such as COVID-19. These vaccines utilize mRNA to instruct cells to produce proteins that stimulate an immune response against specific pathogens.

Question-6: What was the first mRNA vaccine?

Answer. The first mRNA vaccine to receive regulatory approval and widespread use was the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, which was authorized for emergency use in December 2020.

Question-7: Where can mRNA vaccines be used?

Answer. mRNA vaccines have the potential to be used in a wide range of applications, including infectious diseases, cancer immunotherapy, and potentially other therapeutic areas such as autoimmune disorders and genetic diseases.

Question-8: Why are mRNA vaccines preferable?

Answer. mRNA vaccines offer several advantages, including rapid development timelines, flexibility in vaccine design, and the potential for targeted and personalized treatments. They also do not require the use of live viruses, making them safer to manufacture and administer.

Question-9: What challenges do traditional cancer vaccines face?

Answer. Traditional cancer vaccines may face challenges such as triggering a strong enough immune response, targeting diverse cancer cell populations, and avoiding side effects associated with systemic immune activation.

Question-10: How does the mRNA vaccine activate the immune system?

Answer. The mRNA vaccine delivers genetic instructions to cells, instructing them to produce tumor antigens derived from the patient’s own cancer cells. These antigens trigger an immune response, activating immune cells to recognize and attack cancer cells expressing these antigens.