J.B. Scott, J.B. McLachlan, L.A. Morici
Tulane University,
United States
Keywords: Outer membrane vesicles, vaccine adjuvants, immunology, infectious diseases
Summary:
This innovative technology comprises outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) derived from Gram-negative bacteria, which function as potent vaccine adjuvants. Unlike traditional adjuvants such as aluminum hydroxide (alum) that primarily promote antibody responses, these naturally occurring bacterial nanoparticles stimulate both robust humoral and cellular immune responses to co-delivered antigens. Research demonstrates that OMVs effectively activate dendritic cells at lower concentrations than whole bacteria and drive antigen-specific CD4 and CD8 T cell responses along with enhanced B cell activation and antibody production. The technology has been validated through multiple in vitro and in vivo studies, including mouse and non-human primate models, showing superior efficacy compared to established adjuvants. An important advantage is that pre-existing anti-OMV antibodies do not impair the adjuvant effect upon repeat immunization. This technology represents a significant advancement in vaccine development with applications across various infectious diseases. The OMV adjuvant platform could potentially enhance the efficacy of existing vaccines and enable the development of new vaccines against challenging pathogens.