Probing the Role of Lipid Nanoparticle Elasticity on mRNA Delivery to the Placenta
Tuesday, July 15, 2025
11:16 AM – 11:27 AM EDT
Introduction: Placental disorders, such as preeclampsia, stem from dysfunctional placental development and can be life threatening to both mother and fetus.1 Lipid nanoparticle (LNP) delivery of messenger RNA (mRNA) represents a promising approach to treat these disorders, as the physicochemical properties of LNPs can be optimized to improve placental mRNA delivery. One such property known to influence nanoparticle-cell interactions is nanoparticle elasticity.2 Here, we develop a methodology to measure LNP elasticity via atomic force microscopy (AFM) and evaluate its effect on mRNA delivery to the placenta.
Learning Objectives:
At the completion of this activity, participants will know
Employ an atomic force microscopy methodology to measure LNP elasticity.
Understand that LNP elasticity can be tuned through sterol structure.
Discover the relationship between LNP elasticity and LNP biodistribution during pregnancy.
