Polyethylenimine: An Intranasal Adjuvant for Liposomal Peptide-Based Subunit Vaccine against Group A Streptococcus

Group A Streptococcus (GAS) and GAS-related infections are a worldwide challenge, with no commercial GAS vaccine available. Polyethylenimine (PEI) attaches to the cells' surface and delivers cargo into endosomal and cytosolic compartments. We hypothesized that this will confer mucosal adjuvant properties for peptide antigens against group A Streptococcus (GAS). In this study, we successfully demonstrated the development of PEI incorporated liposomes for the delivery of a lipopeptide-based vaccine (LCP-1) against GAS. Outbred mice were administrated with the vaccine formulations intranasally, and immunological investigation showed that the PEI liposomes elicited significant mucosal and systemic immunity with the production of IgA and IgG antibodies. Antibodies were shown to effectively opsonize multiple isolates of clinically isolated GAS. This proof-of-concept study showed the capability for PEI liposomes to act as a safe vehicle for the delivery of GAS peptide antigens to elicit immune responses against GAS infection, making PEI a promising addition to liposomal mucosal vaccines.