Intranasal Administration of Novel Chitosan Nanoparticle/DNA Complexes Induces Antibody Response to Hepatitis B Surface Antigen in MiceF. Lebre†‡, G. Borchard§, H. Faneca†∥, M. C. Pedroso de Lima†∥, and O. Borges*†‡
† CNC—Centerfor Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Universityof Coimbra, 3004-0504 Coimbra, Portugal
‡ Facultyof Pharmacy, University of Coimbra, Pólo das Ciências da Saúde,Azinhaga de Santa Comba, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal
§ Schoolof Pharmaceutical Sciences, University ofGeneva, University of Lausanne, Quai Ernest Ansermet 30, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
∥ Departmentof Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, 3004-517 Coimbra, Portugal
Mol. Pharmaceutics, 2016, 13 (2), pp 472–482
DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.5b00707
Publication Date (Web): December 14, 2015
Copyright © 2015 American Chemical Society
*Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Coimbra, Pólo das Ciências da Saúde, Azinhaga de Santa Comba, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal. Tel: (351) 239 488428. Fax: (351) 239 488 503. E-mail: [url=mailto[email protected]][email protected][/url].
Abstract
The generation of strong pathogen-specific immune responses at mucosal surfaces where hepatitis B virus (HBV) transmission can occur is still a major challenge. Therefore, new vaccines are urgently needed in order to overcome the limitations of existing parenteral ones. Recent studies show that this may be achieved by intranasal immunization. Chitosan has gained attention as a nonviral gene delivery system; however, its use in vivo is limited due to low transfection efficiency mostly related to strong interaction between the negatively charged DNA and the positively charged chitosan. We hypothesize that the adsorption of negatively charged human serum albumin (HSA) onto the surface of the chitosan particles would facilitate the intracellular release of DNA, enhancing transfection activity. Here, we demonstrate that a robust systemic immune response was induced after vaccination using HSA-loaded chitosan nanoparticle/DNA (HSA-CH NP/DNA) complexes. Furthermore, intranasal immunization with HSA-CH NP/DNA complexes induced HBV specific IgA in nasal and vaginal secretions; no systemic or mucosal responses were detected after immunization with DNA alone. Overall, our results show that chitosan-based DNA complexes elicited both humoral and mucosal immune response, making them an interesting and valuable gene delivery system for nasal vaccination against HBV. Keywords: chitosan nanoparticles; DNA vaccine; gene delivery; hepatitis B vaccine; nasal immunization
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