ABSTRACT
Delivery of antigen through admixture formulation containing poly caprolactone (PCL) and aluminum phosphate was studied as a promising strategy to generate antigen specific immune response. The present study demonstrates the synergistic effect of admixture formulation of PCL with reduced aluminum (PCL-Al 0.2 mg-TT and PCL-PEG-Al 0.2 mg-TT) as a potential adjuvant system using tetanus toxoid (TT) as a model antigen. On evaluation of the magnitude of efficacy for the proposed formulation by ELISA as well as challenge method, persistent and strong antibody response was obtained throughout the 180 day study period on storage at 5 ± 3 °C. In comparison to the aluminum phosphate based conventional tetanus vaccine, higher levels of IFN-γ and IL-4 were obtained with PCL-Al 0.2 mg-TT and PCL-PEG-Al 0.2 mg-TT, indicating the presence of cell mediated as well as humoral immune responses. Histopathology and serum biochemistry profile in mice further indicated the suitability of the proposed formulation. Percent adsorption/encapsulation of the antigen also increased to nearly 95% in the admixture formulation compared to 55% adsorption in the conventional tetanus vaccine. The present study established a useful baseline for designing biocompatible and effective delivery system for toxoid vaccines through judicious use of PCL based biodegradable nanoparticles in combination with aluminum phosphate.
Subject(s)
Adjuvants, Immunologic/administration & dosage , Aluminum/chemistry , Drug Carriers , Polyesters/chemistry , Tetanus Toxoid/administration & dosage , Animals , Immunity, Cellular , Immunity, Humoral , Interferon-gamma/immunology , Interleukin-4/immunology , Mice , Nanoparticles/chemistry , Vaccine PotencyABSTRACT
Aluminum based adjuvants have been used widely to induce long lasting protective immunity through vaccination. But reported incidences of toxicity and side effects of aluminum have raised concerns regarding their safety in childhood vaccines. The present study demonstrates the synergistic effect of admixture of polylactic acid-polyethylene glycol (PLA-PEG) based biodegradable nanoparticles (NPs) and aluminum phosphate as a potential adjuvant system using tetanus toxoid (TT) as a model antigen. The immunological activity of the admixture formulation was maintained up to 180 days of storage at 5 °C±3 °C. Percent adsorption/encapsulation of tetanus toxoid increased to nearly 90% in admixture formulation as compared to 55% in conventional vaccine. Admixture preparation (PLA-PEG-Al 0.2 mg-TT and PLA-Al 0.2 mg-TT) showed 80% and 50% survival respectively, even at 180 days as compared to 30% survival observed in the conventional tetanus vaccine. The present study established the feasibility to formulate a dosage form with improved efficacy and reduced aluminum concentration for vaccination.
Subject(s)
Adjuvants, Pharmaceutic/chemistry , Aluminum Compounds/chemistry , Biocompatible Materials/chemistry , Drug Carriers/chemistry , Lactates/chemistry , Nanoparticles/chemistry , Phosphates/chemistry , Polyethylene Glycols/chemistry , Tetanus Toxoid/administration & dosage , Animals , Antibodies/blood , Drug Compounding , Drug Synergism , Liver/drug effects , Liver/pathology , Mice , Particle Size , Surface Properties , Tetanus Toxoid/adverse effects , Tetanus Toxoid/immunologyABSTRACT
In the present study, a total of 85 ready to eat meat and meat products were collected from 11 tourist's places of Himachal Pradesh to examine the prevalence of Salmonella spp. and Escherichia coli during May 2010 till April 2011. Out of 33 samples, meat curry and 25 samples of non-veg momo, 4(12.12%) and 1(4.0%) were found to be positive for Escherichia coli. respectively. All the 5 E. coli isolates obtained were belonged to four different serotypes (O8, O89, O60 and O Rough). 40% of the E. coli isolates were found to be multi drug resistant (MDR) and maximum resistance was showed to Ampicilin. All the isolates were highly sensitive to Chloramphenicol. However, Salmonella spp. could not be isolated from any of the ready to eat meat and meat products. The present study reveals that the contamination of ready to eat foods of animal origin with E. coli could be an important factor of gastrointestinal illness in the consumers.
Subject(s)
Escherichia coli/isolation & purification , Meat Products/microbiology , Meat/microbiology , Salmonella/isolation & purification , Drug Resistance, Bacterial , Escherichia coli/drug effects , Microbial Sensitivity Tests , Prevalence , Salmonella/drug effectsABSTRACT
In the present study, morphological index (MI) and average macrophage count per microscopic field in skin sections of 94 lepromatous (LL) patients is correlated. The subjects included 14 cases with some histoid features. The MI in the lepromatous cases varied from less than one to 40 and the corresponding macrophage counts ranged from 40 to 156. In cases with histoid changes the MI varied from 30 to 60 and the cell count ranged from 215 to 360. The histoid cases showed a higher MI and cell count compared to the other lepromatous cases. There was a positive correlation between MI and macrophage count and the hypercellular state appears to depend on living and multiplying bacteria.
