Publication date: Nov 02, 2024
Inhaled delivery of messenger RNA (mRNA) using lipid nanoparticle (LNP) holds immense promise for treating pulmonary diseases or serving as a mucosal vaccine. However, the unsatisfactory delivery efficacy caused by the disintegration and aggregation of LNP during nebulization represents a major obstacle. To address this, we develop a charge-assisted stabilization (CAS) strategy aimed at inducing electrostatic repulsions among LNPs to enhance their colloidal stability. By optimizing the surface charges using a peptide-lipid conjugate, the leading CAS-LNP demonstrates exceptional stability during nebulization, resulting in efficient pulmonary mRNA delivery in mouse, dog, and pig. Inhaled CAS-LNP primarily transfect dendritic cells, triggering robust mucosal and systemic immune responses. We demonstrate the efficacy of inhaled CAS-LNP as a vaccine for SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant and as a cancer vaccine to inhibit lung metastasis. Our findings illustrate the design principles of nebulized LNPs, paving the way of developing inhaled mRNA vaccines and therapeutics.