The potential of mannosylated chitosan microspheres to target macrophage mannose receptors in an adjuvant-delivery system for intranasal immunization

A vaccine delivery system based on mannosylated chitosan microspheres (MCMs) was studied in vitro and in vivo. Bordetella bronchiseptica antigens containing dermonecrotoxin (BBD) were loaded in MCMs or chitosan microspheres (CMs). Fluorescence confocal microscopy indicated that BBD-loaded MCMs (BBD–MCMs) bound with mannose receptors on murine macrophages (RAW264.7 cells). In vitro experiments using macrophages demonstrated that BBD–MCMs had more effective immune-stimulating activity than BBD-loaded CMs (BBD–CMs). Mice intranasally immunized with BBD–MCMs showed significantly higher BBD-specific IgA antibody responses in saliva and serum than mice immunized with BBD–CMs (p < 0.05). After challenge with B. bronchiseptica via the nasal cavity, groups treated with BBD–MCMs or BBD–CMs showed similar patterns with a high survival rate even though there was no significant difference between those groups. These results suggested that mannose moieties in the MCMs enhanced immune-stimulating activities through mucosal delivery due to a specific interaction between mannose groups in the MCMs and mannose receptors on the macrophages.