Chitosan-nanoparticles effects on mucosal immunity: A systematic review.

Area of Science:

• Aquaculture
• Immunology
• Materials Science

Background:

• Chitosan nanoparticles are crucial for aquaculture treatments due to chitosan's mucoadhesive properties.
• Key chitosan characteristics, such as degree of acetylation and molecular weight, are often overlooked, impacting nanoparticle efficacy.
• Understanding these properties is vital for developing effective mucosal vaccines for fish.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review the immunomodulatory capacity of chitosan nanoparticles as mucosal vaccines in teleost fish.
• To emphasize the importance of reporting chitosan properties in nanoparticle-based aquaculture research.
• To compare chitosan nanoparticle preparations, doses, and their effects on fish immune status.

Main Methods:

• A systematic literature search was conducted across four databases.
• 14 out of 486 retrieved documents met the inclusion criteria for the review.
• Studies were analyzed for reported chitosan properties, nanoparticle preparation, and administered doses.

Main Results:

• Only 21% of the reviewed studies adequately reported essential chitosan properties.
• This review provides the first objective comparison of chitosan nanoparticle doses (mg chitosan/g fish) applied to fish.
• Significant variations in chitosan nanoparticle preparation and dosage were observed across studies.

Conclusions:

• Future research must prioritize reporting chitosan properties for reproducible and informative data in aquaculture.
• Standardized reporting of chitosan characteristics will enhance the development of effective nanoparticle-based mucosal vaccines for fish.
• This review underscores the need for detailed characterization of chitosan for optimizing immunomodulatory treatments in aquaculture.