Combination application of Pickering emulsion and BLS protein nanoparticles enhances vaccine efficacy

The deficiency of recombinant protein immune response could be compensated for by using nanoparticle platforms or adding immune enhancers, however existing vaccines or adjuvants struggle to elicit durable cellular immune responses. In this work, a protein nanoscaffold, lumazine synthase isolated from Brucella (BLS) was optimally designed that could facilitate cellular uptake of displayed antigens and the maturation of bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (BMDCs), and enhancing humoral immune responses. To enhance cellular immune response, chitosan hydrochloride-stabilized Pickering emulsion (CHSPE) was evaluated as an adjuvant for the BLS nanoscaffold-based vaccine. CHSPE could enhance the recruitment and activation of DCs at the injection site and the uptake of antigen and activation of DCs in the draining lymph nodes (dLNs), compared with commercial adjuvant ISA 206. In addition, CHSPE induced antigen-specific antibody levels comparable to those of ISA 206 and increased the ratio of central memory T cells (TCM) and effector memory T cells (TEM), and promoted the secretion of Th1-type cytokines. Moreover, CHSPE-formulated vaccine provided a similar level of protection to the live attenuated vaccine and was superior to that of ISA 206. Taken together, the combination of the BLS nanoscaffold and CHSPE provides a feasible strategy for recombinant protein subunit vaccine development.