mRNA vaccines can defend the body against skin cancer; finds US-based researchers

Messenger RNA vaccines can stimulate the production of a protein critical to the skin’s antioxidant network that could help people bolster their defenses against skin cancer finds researchers at the Oregon State University College of Pharmacy. The research published in the ‘Journal of Investigate Dermatology’ states that ultraviolet radiations that lead to oxidative stress increase the risk of skin cancers such as melanoma and vaccines like Moderna, Pfizer for Covid-19 promote the production of protein, TR1, in skin cells that can mitigate the risk of UV-induced cancers and other skin problems.

A mouse model was used to find the protein TR1, short of thioredoxin reductase 1’s s role in improving skin’s stability and health and the findings were published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology. In this TR1 based reduction reaction, a chemical species gains electrons and another species undergo oxidation or loss of electrons.

The TR1’s reductase enzyme is a key component of melanocyte antioxidant systems that offer protection from reactive oxygen that is on the brunt of electrons from molecules in cells and can damage DNA. TR1 promotes the transfer of electrons helping antioxidants to work as an on-off switch to prevent a chain reaction of oxidation in melanocytes and other cells.

Messenger RNA instructs cells to make a particular protein and in the Covid vaccines it is spike protein that triggers an immune response and for the proposed melanoma vaccine, TR1. The protein increases the antioxidant level of the cells and lets the cell take care of oxidative stress and DNA damage arising from ultraviolet radiation.

Most cases of skin cancer according to the CDC are linked to UV radiations exposure and despite efforts of improving awareness of excessive exposure to the sun, the incidences of melanoma rise every year. Researchers look for dietary antioxidants as an inexpensive way for cancer prevention but they do not perform well at clinical trials, hence the need to intervene with chemoprevention agents, explained Arup Indra, professor of pharmaceutical sciences at OSU and lead researcher of the study.

With this new finding, it is advisable that people who work outside in sunny climates could ideally be vaccinated once a year. The need is now to generate an mRNA vaccine delivered locally and then monitor how it boosts the body’s defense to explore possibilities of it preventing different types of disease progression including cancer by modulating body antioxidant system, he added.