Vaccines Global Summit

DNA and RNA vaccines were a revolutionary discovery in immunology, as they use the very genetic material to induce an immune response. These vaccines can be used conveniently and effectively to prevent infectious diseases, and renewed public health initiatives have so far shown significant promise.

DNA vaccines work by introducing small, round, circular DNA molecules known as plasmids into the host body. The encoding genes for some proteins resident on the envelope of a virus or bacterium are located on these plasmids. Once the plasmid enters human cells, the human cells express this DNA in creating the target proteins for presentation to the immune system to recognize as foreign. This sets in motion an immune response to prepare the body to recognize and combat the actual pathogen if presented with it again in the future. The stability of DNA vaccines at room temperature makes them easier to store and distribute, a benefit for mass immunization programs.

RNA vaccines, including all mRNA vaccines, use an alternative strategy but have the same end—that is, they inject a messenger RNA (mRNA), encoding the protein itself. Once inside the body, cells read the mRNA and create the protein it codes for. This triggers the immune system to produce antibodies and immune cells that are specifically designed to target that protein. Because of their prominence during the COVID-19 pandemic, mRNA vaccines are now well known, with great effectiveness and the capacity to produce swiftly.

In contrast to DNA vaccines, mRNA vaccines do not need to enter the nucleus of the cell, allowing the production of the target protein to bypass the complex process of entry into the nucleus. Both DNA and RNA vaccines have very promising advantages. First, they tend to be much faster in production compared to traditional vaccines because they do not necessarily require the participation of live or inactivated pathogens but rather use genetic information. Such prompt development is particularly crucial during outbreaks where scientists can easily adjust vaccines to cope with the strain that keeps evolving.

The exciting discovery is that these DNA and RNA vaccines may unlock new possibilities in preventing a wider range of infectious diseases that will lead to a future where developing vaccines becomes faster, safer, and more adaptable to the ever-evolving challenges of health worldwide.