Biodegradable polymeric microsphere-based vaccines and their applications in infectious diseases

Abstract

Vaccination, which provides effective, safe infectious disease protection, is among the most important recent public health and immunological achievements. However, infectious disease remains the leading cause of death in developing countries because several vaccines require repeated administrations and children are often incompletely immunized. Microsphere-based systems, providing controlled release delivery, can obviate the need for repeat immunizations. Here, we review the function of sustained and pulsatile release of biodegradable polymeric microspheres in parenteral and mucosal single-dose vaccine administration. We also review the active-targeting function of polymeric particles. With their shield and co-delivery functions, polymeric particles are applied to develop single-dose and mucosally administered vaccines as well as to improve subunit vaccines. Because polymeric particles are easily surface-modified, they have been recently used in vaccine development for cancers and many infectious diseases without effective vaccines (e.g., human immunodeficiency virus infection). These polymeric particle functions yield important vaccine carriers and multiple benefits.

Keywords:

• biodegradable
• infectious diseases
• immunization
• polymeric microspheres
• vaccines

Abbreviations and acronyms:

• APC,antigen-presenting cell
• DEN-1–DEN-4, dengue virus serotypes 1–4
• DC, dendritic cell
• DT, diphtheria toxoid
• DT or TD, diphtheria + tetanus vaccine
• DTP, diphtheria + tetanus + pertussis vaccine
• NS1, nonstructural protein 1
• PEG, poly (ethylene glycol)
• PLA, poly (lactide)
• PLGA, Poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid)
• TT, tetanus-toxoid
• VC, Vibrio cholera
• WHO, World Health Organization

Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest

No potential conflicts of interest were disclosed.