Effect on cellular recruitment and the innate immune response by combining saponin, monophosphoryl lipid-A and Incomplete Freund’s Adjuvant with Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis antigens for a vaccine formulation

• Published in: Vaccine 2019-11, Vol.37 (49), p.7269-7279
• Main Authors: Vitoriano-Souza, Juliana, Siqueira Mathias, Fernando Augusto, Moreira, Nádia das Dores, Aguiar-Soares, Rodrigo Dian de Oliveira, de Abreu Vieira, Paula Melo, Teixeira-Carvalho, Andréa, Carneiro, Cláudia Martins, Giunchetti, Rodolfo Cordeiro, de Brito, Rory Cristiane Fortes, Fujiwara, Ricardo Toshio, Roatt, Bruno Mendes, Melo, Maria Norma, Reis, Alexandre Barbosa
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adjuvants; Animals; Antigen-presenting cells; Antigens; CD11c antigen; CD25 antigen; CD69 antigen; CD86 antigen; Cell adhesion & migration; Cellular infiltration; Cytokines; Development strategies; Freund's incomplete adjuvant; Immune response; Immune system; Immunogenicity; Incomplete Freund Adjuvant; Inflammation; Innate immunity; Lipids; Lymph nodes; Lymphatic system; Lymphocytes; Monophosphoryl lipid; Saponin; Saponins; Vaccines
• ISSN: 0264-410X; 1873-2518
• DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2019.09.067

The poor immunogenicity displayed by some antigens has encouraged the development of strategies to improve the immune response and safety of vaccine candidates, resulting in an intense search for substances that potentiate vaccine response. Adjuvants have these properties helping vaccine candidates to induce a strong, durable, and fast immune response. In this study, we evaluated the specific immune response of adjuvants alone, Saponin (SAP), Incomplete Freund’s Adjuvant (IFA) and Monophosphoryl lipid-A SE (MPL-SE®) and in combination with total antigen of L. braziliensis (LB): LBSAP, LBIFA and LBMPL. The specific immune response induced by these compositions demonstrated that they were powerfully immunogenic, increasing cellular infiltration in the skin. Draining lymph nodes cultures showed that LBIFA and LBMPL have higher ability to increase the capacity of APCs to present antigens, with increased frequency of CD11c+CD86+ cells. SAP, MPL, LBSAP, LBIFA and LBMPL could activate lymphocytes increasing expression of CD69 and CD25. LBSAP group was an excellent inducer of pro-inflammatory cytokines at 24 h. At 48 h, higher cytokines production was observed in IFA, LBIFA, MPL and LBMPL groups. Our data demonstrate that LBSAP and LBMPL are potential formulations to be tested in other experimental models. Also, the data obtained could expand the knowledge about immune response after sensitization and also contribute to the development of safe, immunogenic and effective vaccines.