Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40479650›Full record

ArticleThe Journal of experimental medicine2025

Membrane-IL12 adjuvant mRNA vaccine polarizes pre-effector T cells for optimized tumor control.

Kun Peng, Xiaoxue Zhao, Hongjian Li, Yang-Xin Fu, Yong Liang

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in The Journal of experimental medicine, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

7 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Review
  3. Article
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  5. Review
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  7. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Kun PengCenter for Cancer Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tsinghua University , Beijing, China.ORCID 0009-0008-2728-6359
Xiaoxue ZhaoCenter for Cancer Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tsinghua University , Beijing, China.ORCID 0009-0006-6382-536X
Hongjian LiCenter for Cancer Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tsinghua University , Beijing, China.ORCID 0009-0006-1755-8926
Yang-Xin FuCenter for Cancer Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tsinghua University , Beijing, China.ORCID 0000-0001-8441-6617
Yong LiangCenter for Cancer Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tsinghua University , Beijing, China.ORCID 0000-0001-5643-8966

Funding

Ministry of Science and Technology of China 2023YFC2508505National Natural Science Foundation of China 82250710684
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Conventional mRNA cancer vaccines can expand the quantity of tumor-specific CD8 T cells, but their effector function might be compromised. Specific cytokine signaling may enhance T cell differentiation for better tumor killing. We screened various cytokines and identified IL-12 as a potent adjuvant for mRNA vaccines, though with significant systemic toxicity. To balance efficacy and toxicity, we developed a membrane-tethered IL-12 (mtIL12) adjuvant mRNA vaccine. This design restricts mtIL12 expression to the surface of antigen-presenting cells, thereby selectively activating antigen-specific T cells without affecting bystander T or NK cells. mtIL12 adjuvant mRNA vaccination induced a unique pre-effector T cell subset that gives rise to highly responsive effector T cells, resulting in superior anti-tumor activity. Moreover, this approach overcame immune checkpoint therapy resistance and prevented cancer metastasis. Our study highlights that next-generation mRNA vaccines encoding membrane-tethered cytokine adjuvants can generate potent effector T cells, offering effective tumor control with reduced toxicity.

Indexed as

Adjuvants, ImmunologicCancer VaccinesInterleukin-12mRNA VaccinesNeoplasmsRNA, MessengerT-LymphocytesAnimalsCD8-Positive T-LymphocytesCell Line, TumorFemaleHumansMiceMice, Inbred C57BLAdjuvants, ImmunologicCancer VaccinesInterleukin-12mRNA VaccinesRNA, Messenger

Identifiers

PMID40479650
PMCPMC12143231

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.