title: Liposomal adjuvants for human vaccines.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Liposomes are well-known as drug carriers, and are now critical components of two of six types of adjuvants present in licensed vaccines. The liposomal vaccine adjuvant field has long been dynamic and innovative, and research in this area is further examined as new commercial products appear in parallel with new vaccines. In an arena where successful products exist the potential for new types of vaccines with liposomal adjuvants, and alternative liposomal adjuvants that could emerge for new types of vaccines, are discussed.
  
  
  METHODS
  Major areas include: virosomes, constructed from phospholipids and proteins from influenza virus particles; liposomes containing natural and synthetic neutral or anionic phospholipids, cholesterol, natural or synthetic monophosphoryl lipid A, and QS21 saponin; non-phospholipid cationic liposomes; and combinations and mixtures of liposomes and immunostimulating ingredients as adjuvants for experimental vaccines.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Liposomes containing monophosphoryl lipid A and QS21 have considerable momentum that will result soon in emergence of prophylactic vaccines to malaria and shingles, and possible novel cancer vaccines. The licensed virosome vaccines to influenza and hepatitis A will be replaced with virosome vaccines to other infectious diseases. Alternative liposomal formulations are likely to emerge for difficult diseases such as tuberculosis or HIV-1 infection.
authors: a Laboratory of Adjuvant and Antigen Research , US Military HIV Research Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research , Silver Spring , MD , USA.
authors: Carl R
authors: CR
authors: Alving
authors: a Laboratory of Adjuvant and Antigen Research , US Military HIV Research Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research , Silver Spring , MD , USA.|b US Military HIV Research Program, Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine , Bethesda , MD , USA.
authors: Zoltan
authors: Z
authors: Beck
authors: a Laboratory of Adjuvant and Antigen Research , US Military HIV Research Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research , Silver Spring , MD , USA.
authors: Gary R
authors: GR
authors: Matyas
authors: a Laboratory of Adjuvant and Antigen Research , US Military HIV Research Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research , Silver Spring , MD , USA.
authors: Mangala
authors: M
authors: Rao
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000818:Animals; D004337:Drug Carriers; D006801:Humans; D008081:Liposomes; D014611:Vaccination; D014612:Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D004337:Drug Carriers; D008081:Liposomes; D014612:Vaccines
keywords: Adjuvant; immunostimulation; liposomes; vaccine