Temporal release of a three-component protein subunit vaccine from polymer multilayers

• Published in: Journal of controlled release Vol. 317; pp. 130 - 141
• Main Authors: Uppu, Divakara S.S.M., Turvey, Michelle E., Sharif, Abdul Rahim Mohammed, Bidet, Katell, He, Yanpu, Ho, Victor, Tambe, Anagha D., Lescar, Julien, Tan, Ern Yu, Fink, Katja, Chen, Jianzhu, Hammond, Paula T.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 10.01.2020
• ISSN: 0168-3659; 1873-4995
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2019.11.022

Sustained antigen and adjuvant availability have been shown to improve antiviral immune responses following vaccination. Transcutaneous delivery of vaccines using microneedles has also shown promise and may be particularly relevant for mosquito-borne viruses. We aim to combine these traits to create a three-component Protein Subunit vaccine on Microneedle Arrays (PSMNs) for transcutaneous delivery using layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly. Polymer multilayer thin films were generated to co-deliver a model combination of three chemically distinct vaccine components, a dengue virus Envelope protein Domain III (EDIII) subunit antigen and two adjuvants, a double-stranded RNA (Poly (inosinic:cytidylic acid) (PolyI:C)) and an amphiphilic hexapeptide, Pam3CSK4. Following application of PSMNs to the skin, implanted thin films facilitated sustained and temporal release of individual vaccine components from polymer multilayers. By modulating LbL composition and architecture, component release profiles in the skin could be independently tuned to allow release of adjuvants and antigen from days up to two weeks. Uptake of antigen and adjuvant from implanted vaccine films by antigen-presenting cells was demonstrated using in vivo mouse and ex vivo human skin models. Overall, we believe that such modular vaccine strategies offer design principles for enhancing the immunogenicity of protein subunit vaccines. •Microneedles for the skin delivery of protein subunit vaccine with two adjuvants•Polymer multilayer thin films to control the timely release of vaccine components•Temporal release of protein and adjuvants over a course of two weeks•Uptake of vaccine components by mouse and human skin dendritic cells [Display omitted]