ARNAX is an ideal adjuvant for COVID-19 vaccines to enhance antigen-specific CD4 <sup>+</sup> and CD8 <sup>+</sup> T-cell responses and neutralizing antibody induction
Cellular immunity is a critical immunological defense system against virus infections. However, aluminum salts, the most widely used adjuvant for vaccines for human use, do not promote strong cellular immunity. To prepare for the next pandemic of viral origin, the development of Th1-type adjuvants with low adverse reactions that induce cellular immunity is necessary. ARNAX is a TLR3 agonist consisting of DNA-RNA hybrid nucleic acid, which is expected to be an adjuvant that induces cellular immunity. The present study using a coronavirus disease 2019 mouse model demonstrated that ARNAX potently induces cellular immunity in addition to humoral immunity with minimal induction of inflammatory cytokines. Therefore, ARNAX has the potential to be used as a potent and welltolerated adjuvant for vaccines against pandemic viruses emerging in the future.
Authors
- Yasushi Itoh (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7462-2193)
- Masashi Shingai (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3214-4626)
- David C. Jackson (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7255-270X)
- Chimuka Handabile
- Shinsuke Toba (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6185-1587)
- Marumi Ohno (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1086-8244)
- Tomohiro Sawa (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7949-7309)
- Lorena E. Brown (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9342-909X)
- Toshiki Sekiya (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9849-1172)
- Tomomi Kawakita (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3723-0013)
- Hirofumi Sawa (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2569-2755)
- Yuki Anraku (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5731-0902)
- Akihiko Sato (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6625-1679)
- Katsumi Maenaka (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5459-521X)
- Hiroyuki Oshiumi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1567-8722)
- Hiroshi Kida (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4876-1004)
- Hirotake Tsukamoto (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3214-1652)
- Naoki Nomura
- Yayoi Kameda
- Misako Matsumoto
- Shunsuke Kita (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3969-302X)
- Hideo Fukuhara (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7035-8206)
- Tsukasa Seya (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0808-5710)
- Yasuhiko Suzuki (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1313-1494)
- Akari Yamaya
Institutions
- International Vaccine Institute (KR)
- Shiga University of Medical Science (JP)
- Health Sciences University of Hokkaido (JP)
- The University of Melbourne (AU)
- Hokkaido University (JP)
- Peter Doherty Institute (AU)
- Shionogi (Japan) (JP)
- Institut de Recherche Vaccinale (FR)
- BioSurfaces (United States) (US)
- Aomori University (JP)
- Kumamoto University (JP)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Journal of Virology
- Published
- 2025-04-15
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1128/jvi.02290-24
- Citations
- 3
- Primary Topic
- Immunotherapy and Immune Responses
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 2.39
Funders
- Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development
- Japan Society for the Promotion of Science