mRNA vaccines in cancer immunotherapy: current progress and perspectives in solid tumors and hematologic malignancies
Peer-Reviewed Publication
Updates every hour. Last Updated: 27-Oct-2026 10:17 ET (27-Oct-2026 14:17 GMT/UTC)
The rapid clinical validation of mRNA technology during the COVID‑19 pandemic has powerfully accelerated its application in oncology, and this comprehensive review provides a state‑of‑the‑art assessment of mRNA cancer vaccines. It systematically covers the molecular design principles of synthetic mRNA, the diverse antigen‑targeting strategies (from conventional tumor‑associated antigens to patient‑specific neoantigens and non‑canonical sources), the major delivery platforms (lipid nanoparticles, lipoplexes, protamine complexes, and cell‑based systems), and the mechanistic pathways by which these vaccines activate both cellular and humoral antitumor immunity. The review then synthesizes preclinical and clinical evidence across solid tumors—melanoma, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, non‑small cell lung cancer, prostate cancer, glioblastoma—and hematologic malignancies, including acute myeloid leukemia, myelodysplastic syndromes, and multiple myeloma. It also critically discusses current challenges, such as the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment, delivery barriers, and manufacturing complexities, before outlining future directions that involve next‑generation delivery systems, artificial intelligence‑driven vaccine design, and combination strategies with immune checkpoint inhibitors and adoptive T‑cell therapies.
Mono-ubiquitination of histone H2A lysine 119 (H2AK119Ub): its multifaceted role in biology and implication in diseases
Vision and vision-language foundation models are emerging as powerful tools for ophthalmic diagnosis, screening, and clinical decision support.
A genetic study suggests that earlier age at first sexual intercourse may be linked to less favorable aging outcomes later in life. The research found associations with poorer multidimensional aging profiles, shorter lifespan-related measures, and greater frailty, and identified frailty, low mood, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) as possible pathways connecting early-life behavior with later-life aging.
Researchers have developed an ultrathin yet ultrastrong hydrogel membrane that enables robust and conformal integration between electronic devices and biological tissues. The ~10 μm-thick material combines high strength, exceptional toughness, and tissue-like softness through a biomimetic microfibrillar network design. It supports multimodal sensing and stimulation while maintaining stable contact with complex 3D tissues, offering new opportunities for wearable and implantable bioelectronics.
Ammonia is a promising carbon-free fuel for internal combustion engines (ICEs). However, existing research has not yet provided satisfactory solutions for ammonia combustion, a crucial gap that significantly limits its practical application. In this study, ammonia thermal atmosphere compression ignition (TACI) combustion mode was proposed as a promising solution to achieve efficient and clean ammonia diffusion combustion in ICEs. This study investigates the stable combustion mechanism of ammonia spray, the formation characteristics of nitrogen oxides, and the greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction potential of the ammonia TACI combustion mode. Experimental results of the TACI mode demonstrate high thermal efficiency, low NOx emissions, ultra-low N2O emissions, and negligible unburned ammonia slip. Intake control strategies, including intake pressure and intake temperature, are explored to further improve the ammonia substitution ratio (ASR) and GHG reduction performance. Intake air heating significantly improves the ASR, but must be coupled with high intake pressure to ensure sufficient oxygen supply. The combined strategy of intake air heating and high intake pressure increases the ASR by 17% and the GHG reduction ratio by 9%. Under medium-load conditions, this approach achieves an ASR over 80% and GHG reduction exceeding 70%, meeting the International Maritime Organization (IMO) 2040 GHG reduction target.
The transition from a linear economy to a circular carbon economy urgently requires sustainable and efficient technologies for converting non-fossil biomass and waste plastics into fuels and high-value chemicals. Solar-driven photocatalytic technology has emerged as a promising strategy due to its mild reaction conditions and potential for selective transformation, which addresses the limitations of traditional recycling and conversion methods (e.g., high energy consumption, harsh conditions, and poor selectivity). However, current photocatalytic valorization systems still suffer from insufficient activity and selectivity, mainly due to the inability to precisely regulate reaction pathways. Considering that selective bond activation (especially C–H and C–C bond activation) is the key determinant, this review focuses on the photocatalytic valorization of biomass and plastics, classifies reaction pathways based on dominant bond selectivity, and mainly emphasizes the contrast between C–H and C–C bond activation. This classification approach overcomes the limitations of traditional substrate-based classification, providing new insights for the rational design of highly selective photocatalytic systems to realize the valorization of biomass and waste plastics.