Barriers and carriers for non-viral delivery of mRNA to induce transient protein expression in the retina: the hurdles of the inner limiting membrane and innate immunity versus the potential of mRNA self-amplification.

The intravitreal delivery of mRNA packaged into nanoparticles to reach the inner retina is mainly hindered by the inner limiting membrane and the innate immunity that detects and destroys mRNA. Therefore, several goals were set up: (1) design small nanoparticles (<80 nm), (2) evaluation of selfamplifying
mRNA, (3) mRNA combined with innate immunity inhibitors and (4) mRNA vs. Selfamplifying mRNA.