Adjuvants: Classification, Modus Operandi, and Licensing.
Vaccination is one of the most efficient strategies for the prevention of infectious diseases. Although safer, subunit vaccines are poorly immunogenic and for this reason the use of adjuvants is strongly recommended. Since their discovery in the beginning of the 20th century, adjuvants have been used to improve immune responses that ultimately lead to protection against disease. The choice of the adjuvant is of utmost importance as it can stimulate protective immunity. Their mechanisms of action have now been revealed. Our increasing understanding of the immune system, and of correlates of protection, is helping in the development of new vaccine formulations for global infections. Nevertheless, few adjuvants are licensed for human vaccines and several formulations are now being evaluated in clinical trials. In this review, we briefly describe the most well known adjuvants used in experimental and clinical settings based on their main mechanisms of action and also highlight the requirements for licensing new vaccine formulations.
Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP/EPM), Rua Botucatu, 4° Andar, 04023-062 São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Juliana de Souza
Jde S
Apostólico
Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP/EPM), Rua Botucatu, 4° Andar, 04023-062 São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Victória Alves Santos
0000-0002-5235-8288
VA
Lunardelli
Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP/EPM), Rua Botucatu, 4° Andar, 04023-062 São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Fernanda Caroline
0000-0001-7512-3556
FC
Coirada
Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, Avenida Lineu Prestes 1374, 05508-000 São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Silvia Beatriz
0000-0002-7845-7110
SB
Boscardin
Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP/EPM), Rua Botucatu, 4° Andar, 04023-062 São Paulo, SP, Brazil; Instituto de Investigação em Imunologia (iii), 01246-903 São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Daniela Santoro
0000-0003-4536-891X
DS
Rosa
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000145:classification / Q000266:history; D000818:Animals; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049674:History, 21st Century; D006801:Humans; D007107:Immune System / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D018928:Immunity, Mucosal; D008004:Licensure; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic / Q000378:metabolism; D014611:Vaccination; D022223:Vaccines, Subunit / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic; D022223:Vaccines, Subunit