TABLE 1.
Characteristics of mRNA vaccines, DNA vaccines, and recombinant protein vaccinesa
| Characteristic | mRNA vaccine | DNA vaccine | Recombinant protein vaccine |
|---|---|---|---|
| Advantages | |||
| Stimulation of humoral and cellular responses | + | +/− | +/− |
| Both MHC-I and -II presentation | + | + | +/− |
| Ability to polarize/balance Th1/Th2 responses | + | + | +/− |
| Native structural/posttranslational modification | + | + | − |
| Simplicity of formulation and production | + | + | − |
| Speed of purification and modification | + | + | − |
| Low cost | + | + | − |
| Stability | − | + | +/− |
| Safety | + | +/− | + |
| Disadvantages | |||
| Lower vaccine efficacy | − | +/− | +/− |
| Low immunogenicity | − | +/− | +/− |
| Necessity for repeat doses | +/− | + | + |
| Risk of autoimmune reactions | +/− | − | +/− |
| Risk of host genome integration | − | + | − |
a
+/−, the characteristic is present in some vaccines but not others.