posted on 2016-09-08, 00:00authored byLetícia Rodrigues, Konstantinos Kyriakos, Fabian Schneider, Hendrik Dietz, Gerhard Winter, Christine
M. Papadakis, Madlen Hubert
Subunit vaccines
typically show insufficient immunogenicity. To
address this issue, we developed a novel self-adjuvanting particulate
carrier system based upon the lipids phytantriol (Phy) and mannide
monooleate (MaMo). Phy is a lipid known to form nonlamellar phases
in fully hydrated systems, whereas MaMo has been found to promote
immune responses in emulsion form. A bulk phase composition of Phy/MaMo
(14 wt %) showed hexagonal (HII) phase behavior over a practical temperature
range (including room and body temperature), and was therefore used
for particle development. Hexosomes stabilized with different concentrations
of either poloxamer 407, Myrj 59, or Pluronic F108 were successfully
prepared. To demonstrate the versatile nature of these systems, the
particles were further modified with either positively or negatively
charged lipids and loaded with model antigens, while maintaining the
HII structure. These hexosomes are structurally robust and amenable
to customization, rendering them suitable as antigen delivery carriers.