title: QS-21 Adjuvant: Laboratory-Scale Purification Method and Formulation Into Liposomes.
abstract: QS-21, a saponin extracted from the tree Quillaja saponaria Molina, is a vaccine adjuvant which has been shown to elicit robust antibody and cell-mediated immune responses in a variety of preclinical and clinical studies [1]. Its purification from the natural source is a lengthy and difficult process. The commercially available saponin mixture Quil-A®is a fraction of the bark extract containing a variety of saponins, including QS-21. In order to facilitate access to QS-21 at laboratory-scale amounts, we propose here a method of purification of QS-21 starting from Quil-A®. In addition, we describe a protocol to appropriately formulate QS-21 into cholesterol-containing, neutral liposomes which are known to decrease QS-21's hemolytic activity while retaining the adjuvant effect. Methods for the physicochemical characterization of purified QS-21 and of the QS-21/liposome formulations are also described.
authors.affiliation: Vaccine Formulation Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, University of Lausanne, Chemin des Boveresses 155, 1066, Epalinges, Switzerland. livia.brunner@unil.ch.
authors.forename: Livia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Brunner
authors.affiliation: Vaccine Formulation Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, University of Lausanne, Chemin des Boveresses 155, 1066, Epalinges, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Christophe
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Barnier-Quer
authors.affiliation: Vaccine Formulation Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, University of Lausanne, Chemin des Boveresses 155, 1066, Epalinges, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Collin
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D008081:Liposomes; D051379:Mice; D012503:Saponins / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D008081:Liposomes; D012503:Saponins; C078785:saponin QA-21V1
keywords: QS-21; Saponin; Vaccine adjuvant