TY - JOUR
T1 - Applications of polymeric adjuvants in studying autoimmune responses and vaccination against infectious diseases
AU - Shakya, Akhilesh Kumar
AU - Nandakumar, Kutty Selva
PY - 2013/2/6
Y1 - 2013/2/6
N2 - Polymers as an adjuvant are capable of enhancing the vaccine potential against various infectious diseases and also are being used to study the actual autoimmune responses using self-antigen(s) without involving any major immune deviation. Several natural polysaccharides and their derivatives originating from microbes and plants have been tested for their adjuvant potential. Similarly, numerous synthetic polymers including polyelectrolytes, polyesters, polyanhydrides, non-ionic block copolymers and external stimuli responsive polymers have demonstrated adjuvant capacity using different antigens. Adjuvant potential of these polymers mainly depends on their solubility, molecular weight, degree of branching and the conformation of polymeric backbone. These polymers have the ability not only to activate humoral but also cellular immune responses in the host. The depot effect, which involves slow release of antigen over a long duration of time, using different forms (particulate, solution and gel) of polymers, and enhances the co-stimulatory signals for optimal immune activation, is the underlying principle of their adjuvant properties. Possibly, polymers may also interact and activate various toll-like receptors and inflammasomes, thus involving several innate immune system players in the ensuing immune response. Biocompatibility, biodegradability, easy production and purification, and non-toxic properties of most of the polymers make them attractive candidates for substituting conventional adjuvants that have undesirable effects in the host.
AB - Polymers as an adjuvant are capable of enhancing the vaccine potential against various infectious diseases and also are being used to study the actual autoimmune responses using self-antigen(s) without involving any major immune deviation. Several natural polysaccharides and their derivatives originating from microbes and plants have been tested for their adjuvant potential. Similarly, numerous synthetic polymers including polyelectrolytes, polyesters, polyanhydrides, non-ionic block copolymers and external stimuli responsive polymers have demonstrated adjuvant capacity using different antigens. Adjuvant potential of these polymers mainly depends on their solubility, molecular weight, degree of branching and the conformation of polymeric backbone. These polymers have the ability not only to activate humoral but also cellular immune responses in the host. The depot effect, which involves slow release of antigen over a long duration of time, using different forms (particulate, solution and gel) of polymers, and enhances the co-stimulatory signals for optimal immune activation, is the underlying principle of their adjuvant properties. Possibly, polymers may also interact and activate various toll-like receptors and inflammasomes, thus involving several innate immune system players in the ensuing immune response. Biocompatibility, biodegradability, easy production and purification, and non-toxic properties of most of the polymers make them attractive candidates for substituting conventional adjuvants that have undesirable effects in the host.
KW - Adjuvant
KW - Animal model
KW - Autoimmunity
KW - Polymer
KW - Vaccine
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84872228741&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1098/rsif.2012.0536
DO - 10.1098/rsif.2012.0536
M3 - Review article
C2 - 23173193
AN - SCOPUS:84872228741
SN - 1742-5689
VL - 10
JO - Journal of the Royal Society Interface
JF - Journal of the Royal Society Interface
IS - 79
M1 - 20120536
ER -