Concerns of Lipid Nanoparticle Carrying mRNA Vaccine into the Brain: What to Make of It?
Detailing the arguments for and against this concern with input from experts.
We are all-in into vaccinating as many people as possible against Covid-19, with mRNA vaccines at the forefront. So, we might as well go all-in into understanding the little intricacies of how mRNA vaccine encapsulated by lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) might interact with delicate cell types — such as neurons in the brain — that a few experts have raised.
Before going further, the conclusion herein is that the actual risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection or Covid-19 largely outweighs the hypothetical risks of the LNP-encapsulated mRNA vaccine. But there are still a few concerns left unanswered, which deserve more transparency.
Current vaccines rely on spike protein
Nearly all the vaccine candidates for Covid-19 — such as the mRNA, DNA, viral vector, recombinant protein, viral-like particles, and peptide-based vaccines — rely on the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein to induce immunity.
- The Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna mRNA vaccines consist of an mRNA genetic material encased within LNPs that can fuse with muscle and immune cells upon injection. The released mRNA then…
