Simultaneous Intramuscular And Intranasal Administration Of Chitosan Nanoparticles–Adjuvanted Chlamydia Vaccine Elicits Elevated Protective Responses In The Lung

Abstract

Yumeng Li,1 Chuan Wang,1 Zhenjie Sun,1 Jian Xiao,1 Xiaoliang Yan,1 Yuqing Chen,1 Jian Yu,2 Yimou Wu1 1Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory for Special Pathogens Prevention and Control, Institution of Pathogenic Biology, Hengyang Medical College, University of South China, Hengyang 421001, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Experimental Zoology, Hengyang Medical College, University of South China, Hengyang 421001, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Yimou WuHunan Provincial Key Laboratory for Special Pathogens Prevention and Control, Institution of Pathogenic Biology, Hengyang Medical College, University of South China, 28 West Changsheng Road, Hengyang, Hunan 421001, People’s Republic of ChinaTel +86 734-13707340050Fax [phone]Email [email protected]: Chlamydia psittaci is a zoonotic bacteria closely associated with psittacosis/ornithosis. Vaccination has been recognized as the best way to inhibit the spread of C. psittaci due to the majority ignored of infections. The optimal Chlamydia vaccine was obstructed by the defect of single immunization route and the lack of availability of nontoxic and valid adjuvants.Methods: In this study, we developed a novel immunization strategy, simultaneous (SIM) intramuscular (IM) and intranasal (IN) administration of a C. psittaci antigens (Ags) adjuvanted with chitosan nanoparticles (CNPs). And SIM-CNPs-Ags were used to determine the different types of immune response and the protective role in vivo.Results: CNPs-Ags with zeta-potential values of 13.12 mV and of 276.1 nm showed excellent stability and optimal size for crossing the mucosal barrier with high 71.7% encapsulation efficiency. SIM-CPN-Ags mediated stronger humoral and mucosal responses by producing meaningfully high levels of IgG and secretory IgA (sIgA) antibodies. The SIM route also led to Ags-specific T-cell responses and increased IFN-γ, IL-2, TNF-α and IL-17A in the splenocyte supernatants. Following respiratory infection with C. psittaci, we found that SIM immunization remarkably reduced bacterial load and the degree of inflammation in the infected lungs and made for a lower level of IFN-γ, TNF-α and IL-6. Furthermore, SIM vaccination with CNPs-Ags had obviously inhibited C. psittaci disseminating to various organs in vivo.Conclusion: SIM immunization with CNPs-adjuvanted C. psittaci Ags may present a novel strategy for the development of a vaccine against the C. psittaci infection.Keywords: Chlamydia psittaci, vaccine, chitosan nanoparticles, immunization route, respiratory infection

Keywords

• Chlamydia psittaci
• vaccine
• chitosan nanoparticles
• immunization route
• respiratory infection