Improved sustained release of antigen from immunostimulatory DNA hydrogel by electrostatic interaction with chitosan

Immunostimulatory DNA hydrogel (sDNA hydrogel) containing unmethylated cytosine-phosphate-guanine (CpG) sequences has been demonstrated to be a useful antigen delivery system, which can effectively induce an antigen-specific immune response through stimulation of the innate immune system. However, relatively rapid release of antigens from the sDNA hydrogel limits its potential. To enhance the potency of the sDNA hydrogel via improvement of its sustained release property, we selected chitosan, a biocompatible cationic polymer which electrostatically interacts with DNA, and mixed it with the sDNA hydrogel. Compared to unmixed sDNA hydrogel, sDNA hydrogel mixed with chitosan (Chitosan-sDNA hydrogel) was more stable, tougher, had more bound water, released a model antigen ovalbumin (OVA) more slowly in vitro, and provided longer retention of OVA at the injection site after intradermal injection into mice. Intradermal immunization of mice with the OVA-loaded Chitosan-sDNA hydrogel resulted in the induction of a higher level of OVA-specific IgG in serum compared with OVA-loaded sDNA hydrogel with no chitosan. These results indicate that the Chitosan-sDNA hydrogel is an improved sustained release formulation for efficient induction of antigen-specific immune responses.