Supramolecular peptide hydrogel adjuvanted subunit vaccine elicits protective antibody responses against West Nile virus.
A crucial issue in vaccine development is to balance safety with immunogenicity. The low immunogenicity of most subunit antigens warrants a search for adjuvants able to stimulate both cell-mediated and humoral immunity. In recent years, successful applications of nanotechnology and bioengineering in the field of vaccine development have enabled the production of novel adjuvant technologies. In this work, we investigated totally synthetic and supramolecular peptide hydrogels as novel vaccine adjuvants in conjunction with the immunoprotective envelope protein domain III (EIII) of West Nile virus as an immunogen in a mouse model. Our results indicate that, compared to the clinically approved adjuvant alum, peptide hydrogel adjuvanted antigen elicited stronger antibody responses and conferred significant protection against mortality after virus challenge. The high chemical definition and biocompatibility of self-assembling peptide hydrogels makes them attractive as immune adjuvants for the production of subunit vaccines against viral and bacterial infections where antibody-mediated protection is desirable.
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston 77555, TX, USA; Sealy Center for Vaccine Development, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston 77555, TX, USA.
Brian M
BM
Friedrich
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston 77555, TX, USA; Sealy Center for Vaccine Development, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston 77555, TX, USA. Electronic address: dwbeasle@utmb.edu.
David W C
DWC
Beasley
Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston 77555, TX, USA; Sealy Center for Vaccine Development, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston 77555, TX, USA. Electronic address: jarudra@utmb.edu.
Jai S
JS
Rudra
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry; D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000276:immunology*; D020100:Hydrogels; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D056724:Immunity, Humoral; D051379:Mice; D010455:Peptides / Q000276:immunology*; D000072417:Protein Domains / Q000276:immunology; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology; D022223:Vaccines, Subunit / Q000276:immunology; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D014901:West Nile Fever / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D053060:West Nile Virus Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D014902:West Nile virus / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D020100:Hydrogels; D010455:Peptides; D022223:Vaccines, Subunit; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; D053060:West Nile Virus Vaccines
Adjuvant; Hydrogel; Self-assembly; Vaccine; West Nile