Authors
Peeler, D. J., Wang, Z., Spiga, L., Jokonya, S., Thomas, C., Reumann, D., Shramko, K., Rigat Nogareda, L., McKay, P. F., Nguyen, D. C., Briones Orta, M., Stayton, P. S., Stevens, M. M., Shattock, R. J., Tregoning, J. S.
Abstract
Self-amplifying mRNA (saRNA) vaccine formulations link the location and timing of antigen expression to innate immune stimulation by both RNA cargo and carrier. We hypothesized that targeting a polymeric STING agonist prodrug (polySTING) to antigen-presenting cells (APCs) independently of saRNA delivery could tune vaccines responses without limiting saRNA expression. By varying the time and location of STING signaling relative to saRNA delivered by muscle-restricted (polyplex, PP) and lymph node-draining (lipid nanoparticle, LNP) saRNA formulations, we studied how spatiotemporal colocalization of type I interferon (IFN-I) and antigen expression impacts innate and adaptive vaccine responses. Co-administering PP + polySTING decreased antigen-specific adaptive type 1 responses by mismatching early lymph node IFN-I and later arriving antigen; this could be reversed by delaying polySTING delivery timing. Conversely, synchronizing early LNP saRNA delivery and polySTING IFN-I in the lymph node boosted saRNA type 1 T cell responses without impacting humoral immunity, which re-directed antigen-intrinsic immune skewing and enhanced protection against pulmonary Acinetobacter baumannii challenge. Collectively, these findings define formulation-specific innate immune responses to saRNA vaccines and establish APC-targeted adjuvants as a strategy to tune saRNA vaccine immunogenicity.
Preprint server:
bioRxiv
The authors list and abstract were imported from bioRxiv on 19 Sep 2026.
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