Effective transcutaneous immunization using a combination of iontophoresis and nanoparticles

Needle-free immunization strategies have been sought for years. Transcutaneous immunization using electroporation has been studied, but the high electrical voltage that must be applied may be painful and cause irreversible cell damage. The application of a weak electric field, such as in iontophoresis, has never been attempted. The aim of this work was to verify the potential of employing iontophoresis for transcutaneous immunization using ovalbumin (OVA) as a model antigen. To target the antigen presenting cells that are located in the viable epidermis, a vaccine formulation composed of OVA-loaded liposomes and silver nanoparticles (NPAg) was developed. In vitro cathodal iontophoresis of the OVA-liposomes associated with NPAg increased OVA penetration into the viable epidermis by 92-fold in comparison to passive delivery. In vivo, transcutaneous immunization with a suitable combination of liposome and iontophoresis induced the production of antibodies, differentiation of immune-competent cells and appeared to present an alternative strategy for needle-free vaccination.