Evaluation of Eudragit-coated chitosan microparticles as an oral immune delivery system

Chitosan microparticles containing ovalbumin (OVA), OVA-containing chitosan microparticles (Chi-OVA), were prepared, coated with Eudragit L100 (ER), and evaluated as oral vaccine. Chi-OVA with an OVA content of 34.4% (w/w) and a mean particle size of 2.3 microm were used for experiments in vitro and in vivo. ER-coated Chi-OVA (ER-Chi-OVA) contained 3.6-20.5% (w/w) OVA and had a particle size of 47.9-161.1 microm. Chi-OVA dissolved readily in JP 14 first fluid, but not in JP 14 second fluid. The release of OVA from Chi-OVA was suppressed extensively in JP 14 second fluid. ER-Chi-OVA did not dissolve in JP 14 first fluid, and the release of OVA was suppressed greatly in JP 14 first and second fluids. OVA solution, Chi-OVA and ER-Chi-OVA (200 and 800 microg OVA/mouse) were administered to Balb/C mice twice at a 1-week interval. At 7 d after the second administration, plasma OVA-specific IgG and fecal OVA-specific IgA levels were measured. OVA-specific IgG tended to be enhanced in Chi-OVA and ER-Chi-OVA, but was the highest in OVA solution. OVA-specific IgA was induced significantly more efficiently by ER-Chi-OVA than the others. These suggested that ER-Chi-OVA should be possibly useful to induce an intestinal mucosal immune response.