Immunological evaluation of chitosan nanoparticles loaded with tetanus toxoid

OBJECTIVES: The present study was aimed at comparing tetanus toxoid (TT)-loaded-chitosan nanoparticles with aluminum hydroxide as a common vaccine adjuvant. BACKGROUND: Tetanus remains to be a major public health problem. Nanoparticles have been extensively used as immune adjuvants. Tetanus toxoid (TT) encapsulated in chitosan nanoparticles is considered to be a promising tetanus vaccine candidate. METHODS: TT-loaded chitosan nanoparticles were prepared by the ionic gelation method. The nanoparticles were studied by SEM for their size and morphology. In vivo study was conducted to evaluate the immunity response using mice divided into 4 groups and injected with encapsulated toxoid. The immune responses were then measured using indirect ELISA. RESULTS: The purity and integrity of antigen were confirmed by SDS-PAGE electrophoresis. The size of nanoparticles was estimated at 100 nm. As a result, the IgG antibody levels were 1.9, 1.76, and 0.87 in chitosan nanoparticles, aluminum hydroxide, and TT alone groups, respectively. Also, the immune responses were significantly higher in immunized groups compared to control groups vaccinated with free adjuvant vaccines (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The quality and efficacy of toxoid-loaded chitosan nanoparticles were reasonable. It enhanced the immune responses as much as aluminum hydroxide adjuvant does and thus may be a good alternative candidate.