ENHANCEMENT BY MICROENCAPSULATION OF ROTAVIRUS-SPECIFIC INTESTINAL IMMUNE-RESPONSES IN MICE ASSESSED BY ENZYME-LINKED IMMUNOSPOT ASSAY AND INTESTINAL FRAGMENT CULTURE

The capacity of microencapsulation to enhance the humoral immune respo nse to rotavirus in the gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT) of mice was determined by using a system of microencapsulation based on the io nic linkage of aqueous anionic polymers and an aqueous amine. Inoculat ion of mice with microencapsulated rotavirus enhanced the frequencies of virus-specific IgA-secreting cells in the lamina propria as well as the quantities of virus-specific IgA produced in GALT. In addition, a n enhanced virus-specific immune response was associated with enhanced production of presumably polyclonal, non-rotavirus-specific antibodie s in GALT. The mechanism by which microencapsulation enhances the humo ral immune response remains to be determined.