title: Efficient nanoparticle-mediated needle-free transcutaneous vaccination via hair follicles requires adjuvantation.
abstract: Trans-follicular (TF) vaccination has recently been studied as a unique route for non-invasive transcutaneous vaccination. The present study aims to extensively characterize the immune responses triggered by TF vaccination using ovalbumin loaded chitosan-PLGA (poly lactic-co-glycolic acid) nanoparticles without skin pre-treatment to preserve skin integrity. The impact of formulation composition i.e. antigenic solution or antigen-loaded nanoparticles with or without adjuvant [bis-(3',5')-cyclic dimeric adenosine monophosphate] on immune response quality following TF immunization was analyzed and compared with immune responses obtained after tape stripping the skin. The results presented in this study confirm the ability of nanoparticle based vaccine formulations to deliver antigen across the intact skin via the follicular route, but at the same time demonstrate the necessity to include adjuvants to generate efficient antigen-specific humoral and cellular immune responses.
authors.affiliation: Saarland University, Biopharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Technology, Saarbruecken, Germany.
authors.forename: Ankit
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mittal
authors.affiliation: Helmholtz Center for Infection Research Braunschweig, Department of Vaccinology and Applied Microbiology, Braunschweig, Germany.
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Schulze
authors.affiliation: Helmholtz Center for Infection Research Braunschweig, Department of Vaccinology and Applied Microbiology, Braunschweig, Germany.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ebensen
authors.affiliation: Helmholtz Center for Infection Research Braunschweig, Department of Vaccinology and Applied Microbiology, Braunschweig, Germany.
authors.forename: Sebastian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Weißmann
authors.affiliation: Saarland University, Biopharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Technology, Saarbruecken, Germany; Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS), Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Saarland University, Saarbruecken, Germany.
authors.forename: Steffi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hansen
authors.affiliation: Saarland University, Biopharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Technology, Saarbruecken, Germany; Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS), Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Saarland University, Saarbruecken, Germany. Electronic address: claus-michael.lehr@helmhotz-hzi.de.
authors.forename: Claus Michael
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Lehr
authors.affiliation: Helmholtz Center for Infection Research Braunschweig, Department of Vaccinology and Applied Microbiology, Braunschweig, Germany. Electronic address: carlos.guzman@helmholtz-hzi.de.
authors.forename: Carlos A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Guzmán
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000737:chemistry*; D000279:Administration, Cutaneous; D000818:Animals; D000941:Antigens / Q000737:chemistry; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D048271:Chitosan / Q000737:chemistry; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D004337:Drug Carriers; D005260:Female; D056724:Immunity, Humoral; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000737:chemistry; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D050997:Nanomedicine / Q000379:methods*; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D009339:Needles; D010047:Ovalbumin / Q000737:chemistry; D011100:Polyglycolic Acid / Q000737:chemistry; D000077182:Polylactic Acid-Polyglycolic Acid Copolymer; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology; D014611:Vaccination / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D000941:Antigens; D016207:Cytokines; D004337:Drug Carriers; D000077182:Polylactic Acid-Polyglycolic Acid Copolymer; D011100:Polyglycolic Acid; D019344:Lactic Acid; D010047:Ovalbumin; D048271:Chitosan
keywords: Chitosan-PLGA nanoparticles; Ovalbumin; Transfollicular; Vaccination