AQUEOUS-BASED MICROENCAPSULATION ENHANCES VIRUS-SPECIFIC HUMORAL IMMUNE-RESPONSES IN MICE AFTER PARENTERAL INOCULATION

Vaccines are commonly administered by the parenteral route. Therefore, adjuvant strategies which include parenteral immunization may improve the efficacy of a number of current vaccines. The capacity of aqueous -based microencapsulation to enhance virus-specific IgG responses in m ice inoculated intramuscularly with small quantities of antigen was ev aluated Mice were inoculated with either 10(4), 10(3), or 10(2) p.f.u. of microencapsulated rotavirus (bovine strain WC3), placebo microcaps ules plus free virus, or virus alone. Mice were subsequently bled 1, 2 , 4, 6, and 9 months after inoculation. Microencapsulation of rotaviru s enhanced virus-specific humoral immune responses. In addition, virus -containing microcapsules composed of spermine-chondroitin sulfate ind uced levels of virus-specific antibodies greater than those found afte r inoculation with virus-containing microcapsules composed of spermine -alginate. Mechanisms by which microencapsulation may enhance virus-sp ecific humoral immunity are discussed. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Sci ence Ltd.