Development of a microparticulate prostate cancer vaccine and evaluating the effect of route of administration on its efficacy via the skin

Abstract

The skin has been identified as a promising target to deliver vaccines. In this study, prostate cancer antigens were delivered in a spray-dried microparticulate carrier to a murine model via the transdermal route and the subcutaneous route. There was a significant increase in the humoral responses as determined by the total serum IgG titres (p < 0.05) and the cellular responses as determined by the T- and B-cells sub-population in spleen samples and delay in tumour growth till 8 weeks post-tumour challenge of both vaccinated groups when compared to the controls. The vaccine microparticles administered via the transdermal route induced a Th2-mediated immune response versus a mixed Th1- and Th2-mediated immune response via the subcutaneous route. Thus, the particulate vaccine delivery system proves to be a promising alternative for generation of a robust immune response against prostate cancer via the skin in a murine model.

• Microneedles
• prostate cancer vaccine
• spray drying
• transdermal
• TRAMP C2
• whole cell lysate

Acknowledgements

We would like to acknowledge Dr. Vladimir Zarnitsyn and Dr. Mark Prausnitz of Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, for kindly providing us the microneedles fabricated in his laboratory. We would also like to thank Dr. Ray Green for helping us with the gel electrophoresis studies. We would also like to thank Dirk Anderson from BD Accuri cytometers, MI for helping us to analyze the flow cytometry data.

Declaration of interest

The authors report no declaration of interest.