Scientists use a new type of nanoparticle to make vaccines more powerful

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"... A team of MIT researchers has now shown that a type of nanoparticle called a metal organic framework (MOF) can also provoke a strong immune response, by activating the innate immune system — the body’s first line of defense against any pathogen — through cell proteins called toll-like receptors. ..."

From the abstract:

"Nanomaterials offer unique opportunities to engineer immunomodulatory activity. In this work, we report the Toll-like receptor agonist activity of a nanoscale adjuvant zeolitic imidazolate framework–8 (ZIF-8). The accumulation of ZIF-8 in endosomes and the pH-responsive release of its subunits enable selective engagement with endosomal Toll-like receptors, minimizing the risk of off-target activation. The intrinsic adjuvant properties of ZIF-8, along with the efficient delivery and biomimetic presentation of a severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 spike protein receptor-binding domain trimer, primed rapid humoral and cell-mediated immunity in a dose-sparing manner. Our study offers insights for next-generation adjuvants that can potentially impact future vaccine development."

MIT scientists use a new type of nanoparticle to make vaccines more powerful | MIT News | Massachusetts Institute of Technology Study shows metal-organic particles can both deliver vaccines and act as an adjuvant to generate a strong immune response at a lower dose.

Zeolitic imidazolate frameworks activate endosomal Toll-like receptors and potentiate immunogenicity of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein trimer (open access)

Fig. 1. ZIF-8 encapsulate RBD trimer and Gdq.