title: GM-CSF-loaded chitosan hydrogel as an immunoadjuvant enhances antigen-specific immune responses with reduced toxicity.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The application of vaccine adjuvants has been vigorously studied for a diverse range of diseases in order to improve immune responses and reduce toxicity. However, most adjuvants have limited uses in clinical practice due to their toxicity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Therefore, to reduce health risks associated with the use of such adjuvants, we developed an advanced non-toxic adjuvant utilizing biodegradable chitosan hydrogel (CH-HG) containing ovalbumin (OVA) and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) as a local antigen delivery system.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After subcutaneous injection into mice, OVA/GM-CSF-loaded CH-HG demonstrated improved safety and enhanced OVA-specific antibody production compared to oil-based adjuvants such as Complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) or Incomplete Freund's adjuvant (IFA). Moreover, CH-HG system-mediated immune responses was characterized by increased number of OVA-specific CD4(+) and CD8(+) INF-γ(+) T cells, leading to enhanced humoral and cellular immunity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this study, the improved safety and enhanced immune response characteristics of our novel adjuvant system suggest the possibility of the extended use of adjuvants in clinical practice with reduced apprehension about toxic side effects.
authors.forename: Kyung Hee
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Noh
authors.forename: Yeong Min
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Hyuk Soon
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Tae Heung
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Kwon-Ho
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Young-Ho
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Yeongseon
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Byeon
authors.forename: Hat Nim
authors.initials: HN
authors.lastname: Jeon
authors.forename: In Duk
authors.initials: ID
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: Byung Cheol
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Kyung-Mi
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Seung-Yong
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Seong
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Infection and Immunology, Graduate School of Medicine, Korea University, Gojan-1 Dong, Ansan-Si 425-707, Gyeonggi-Do, South Korea. hanhd@kku.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Hee Dong
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Tae Woo
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000633:toxicity*; D000818:Animals; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D048271:Chitosan / Q000633:toxicity*; D000939:Epitopes / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D005620:Freund's Adjuvant; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020136:Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate / Q000633:toxicity*; D007109:Immunity / Q000187:drug effects*; D007114:Immunization; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000276:immunology; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D008055:Lipids; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D010047:Ovalbumin / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D000939:Epitopes; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D008055:Lipids; C114843:incomplete Freund's adjuvant; D020136:Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor; D010047:Ovalbumin; D005620:Freund's Adjuvant; D048271:Chitosan