Co-Administration of Injected and Oral Vaccine Candidates Elicits Improved Immune Responses over Either Route Alone

• Main Authors: Celine A. Hayden, Danilo Landrock, Chiung Yu Hung, Gary Ostroff, Gina M. Fake, John H. Walker, Ann Kier, John A. Howard
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2020-01-01
• Series: Vaccines
• Subjects: subunit vaccine; mucosal; maize oral vaccine; plant vaccine; bioencapsulation; immunogenicity; supercritical fluid extraction
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/8/1/37

Infectious diseases continue to be a significant cause of morbidity and mortality, and although efficacious vaccines are available for many diseases, some parenteral vaccines elicit little or no mucosal antibodies which can be a significant problem since mucosal tissue is the point of entry for 90% of pathogens. In order to provide protection for both serum and mucosal areas, we have tested a combinatorial approach of both parenteral and oral administration of antigens for diseases caused by a viral pathogen, Hepatitis B, and a fungal pathogen, <i>Coccidioides</i>. We demonstrate that co-administration by the parenteral and oral routes is a useful tool to increase the overall immune response. This can include achieving an immune response in tissues that are not elicited when using only one route of administration, providing a higher level of response that can lead to fewer required doses or possibly providing a better response for individuals that are considered poor or non-responders.