Polyester as Antigen Carrier toward Particulate Vaccines

Biomacromolecules. 2019 Sep 9;20(9):3213-3232. doi: 10.1021/acs.biomac.9b00509. Epub 2019 Jun 10.

Abstract

Spherical polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) inclusions are naturally self-assembled inside bacteria. These PHA beads are shell-core structures composed of a hydrophobic PHA core surrounded by proteins, such as PHA synthase (PhaC). PhaC is covalently attached and serves as an anchor protein for foreign protein vaccine candidate antigens. PHA beads displaying single and multiple antigens showed enhanced immunological properties when compared to respective soluble vaccines. This review highlights the unique design space of the PHA bead-based vaccines toward the development of safe and synthetic particulate vaccines. The PHA bead technology will be compared with chemically synthesized polyesters, such as polylactic acids, formulated to deliver vaccine antigens. The performance of PHA bead vaccine candidates to induce specific immune responses and protective immunity against bacterial and viral pathogens in animal trials will be summarized. We propose that the PHA bead technology offers a versatile vaccine platform for design and cost-effective manufacture of synthetic multivalent vaccines.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Antigens / chemistry
  • Antigens / immunology
  • Antigens / therapeutic use*
  • Humans
  • Immunity, Cellular / drug effects
  • Microspheres
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis
  • Polyesters / chemistry
  • Polyesters / therapeutic use*
  • Polyhydroxyalkanoates / immunology
  • Polyhydroxyalkanoates / therapeutic use*
  • Vaccines / immunology
  • Vaccines / therapeutic use*

Substances

  • Antigens
  • Polyesters
  • Polyhydroxyalkanoates
  • Vaccines
  • poly(lactide)