Adjuvant Effect of Korean Mistletoe Lectin on Mucosal Immunity Induction Following Intranasal Immunization with Hemagglutinin Antigen

• Published in: Food science and biotechnology Vol. 20; no. 3; pp. 629 - 634
• Main Authors: Jung, Jin-Hyuk, Kim, Young-Hoon, Song, Tae-Jun, An, Hyo-Sun, Kim, Kyu-Dae, Kim, In-Bo, Yoon, Taek-Joon, Kim, Jong-Bae
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Korean
• Published: 2011
• Subjects: Korean mistletoe lectin; adjuvant activity; mucosal immunity
• ISSN: 1226-7708; 2092-6456

To determine Korean mistletoe lectin (KML-C) functions as a mucosal adjuvant, we monitored its ability to modulate the immune response after intranasal immunization with hemagglutinin (HA) as an antigen. Mucosal and systemic immune responses with KML-C were compared to responses with cholera toxin B subunit (CTB) as an adjuvant. Intranasal co-administration of HA and KML-C in mice resulted in increased anti-HA antibody titers in both vaginal wash and serum. Isotyping analysis revealed that KML-C augmented HA-specific antibody titers of IgG1, IgG2a, and IgG2b isotypes. More than 5-fold of interleukin 2 (IL-2), 3-fold of interferon-${\gamma}$ (IFN-${\gamma}$), and 4-fold of granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) mRNA were detected using real time PCR in splenocytes of mice immunized with HA plus KML-C. Fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS) analysis indicated that co-administration of KML-C increased the subpopulation of CD3/CD8 double positive T cells (16.4%) than control (10%). Taken together, these data demonstrate that KML-C has the ability to serve as a mucosal adjuvant.