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AuthorBagwe, Priyal
AuthorBajaj, Lotika
AuthorMenon, Ipshita
AuthorBraz Gomes, Keegan
AuthorKale, Akanksha
AuthorPatil, Smital
AuthorVijayanand, Sharon
AuthorGala, Rikhav
AuthorD'Souza, Martin J.
AuthorZughaier, Susu M.
Available date2023-10-24T08:17:13Z
Publication Date2023
Publication NameInternational Journal of Pharmaceutics
ResourceScopus
ISSN3785173
URIhttp://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpharm.2023.123182
URIhttp://hdl.handle.net/10576/48803
AbstractThere is an alarming rise in the number of gonorrhea cases worldwide. Neisseria gonorrhoeae, the bacteria that causes gonorrhea infection, has gradually developed antimicrobial resistance over the years. To date, there is no licensed vaccine for gonorrhea. This study investigates the in vivo immunogenicity of a whole-cell inactivated gonococci in a microparticle formulation (Gc-MP) along with adjuvant microparticles (Alhydrogel®- Alum MP and AddaVax™ MP) delivered transdermally using dissolving microneedles (MN). The proposed vaccine formulation (Gc-MP + Alum MP + AddaVax™ MP) was assessed for induction of humoral, cellular, and protective immune responses in vivo. Our results show the induction of significant gonococcal-specific serum IgG, IgG1, IgG2a, and vaginal mucosal IgA antibodies in mice immunized with Gc-MP + Alum MP + AddaVax™ MP and Gc-MP when compared to the control groups receiving blank MN or no treatment. The serum bactericidal assay revealed that the antibodies generated in mice after immunization with Gc-MP + Alum MP + AddaVax™ MP were bactericidal towards live Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Gc-MP + Alum MP + AddaVax™ MP and Gc-MP-immunized mice showed enhanced clearance rate of gonococcal bacterial infection post challenge. In contrast, the control groups did not begin to clear the infection until day 10. In addition, the mice which received Gc-MP + Alum MP + AddaVax™ MP showed enhanced expression of cellular immunity markers CD4 and CD8 on the surface of T cells in the spleen and lymph nodes. Taken together, the data shows that microneedle immunization with whole-cell inactivated gonococci MP in mice induced humoral, cellular, and protective immunity against gonococcal infection.
SponsorWe thank Professor William M. Shafer (Emory University, Atlanta, GA) for providing the bacteria Neisseria gonorrhoeae strain CDC-F62 used in this research project. Graphics are created using Bio Render- https://biorender.com/. This project is funded by a R15 grant from the NIH - 1R15AI133473-01A1. All animal studies were conducted in accordance with the IACUC Approval no. A2103005 Guidelines of Mercer University.
Languageen
PublisherElsevier
SubjectGonorrhea
Microneedles
Microparticles
Neisseria gonorrhoeae
Protective immunity
Serum bactericidal assay
Vaccine
TitleGonococcal microparticle vaccine in dissolving microneedles induced immunity and enhanced bacterial clearance in infected mice
TypeArticle
Volume Number642
dc.accessType Abstract Only


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