Ulex europaeus 1 lectin targets microspheres to mouse Peyer's patch M-cells in vivo

• Published in: Vaccine 1998-03, Vol.16 (5), p.536-541
• Main Authors: Foster, Neil, Ann Clark, M., Jepson, Mark A., Hirst, Barry H.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Analysis of Variance; Animals; Applied microbiology; Biological and medical sciences; Concanavalin A; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Immunoglobulin A; Lectins; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Microbiology; Microspheres; Peyer's Patches - cytology; Plant Lectins; Serum Albumin, Bovine; Vaccines, antisera, therapeutical immunoglobulins and monoclonal antibodies (general aspects)
• ISSN: 0264-410X; 1873-2518
• DOI: 10.1016/S0264-410X(97)00222-3

The interaction of latex microspheres with mouse Peyer's patch membranous M-cells was studied in a mouse gut loop model after the microspheres were coated with a variety of agents. Carboxylated microspheres (diameter 0.5 μm) were covalently coated with lectins Ulex europaeus 1, Concanavalin A, Euonymus europaeus and Bandeiraea simplicifolia 1 isolectin-B 4, human immunoglobulin A or bovine serum albumin. Of the treatments examined, only Ulex europaeus (UEA1) resulted in significant selective binding of microspheres to M-cells. UEA1-coated microspheres bound to M-cells at a level 100-fold greater than BSA-coated microspheres, but binding to enterocytes was unaffected. Incubation of UEA1-coated microspheres with α-L-fucose reduced M-cell binding to a level comparable with BSA-coated microspheres. This indicated that targeting by UEA1 was via a carbohydrate receptor on the M-cell surface. Adherence of UEA1-coated microspheres to M-cells occurred within 10 min of inoculation into mouse gut loops and UEA1-coated microspheres were transported to 10 μm below the apical surface of M-cells within 60 min of inoculation. UEA1-coated microspheres also targeted mouse Peyer's patch M-cells after intragastric administration. These results demonstrated that altering the surface chemistry of carboxylated polystyrene microspheres increased M-cell targetting, suggesting a strategy to enhance delivery of vaccine antigens to the mucosal immune system.