Local Response to Microneedle-Based Influenza Immunization in the Skin

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Maria del Pilar Martin, Emory University; William C. Weldon, Emory University; Vladimir G. Zarnitsyn, School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USAb; and; Dimitrios G. Koutsonanos, Emory University; Hamed Akbari, Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USAc; Ioanna Skountzou, Emory University; Joshy Jacob, Emory University; Mark R. Prausnitz, Emory University; Richard W Compans, Emory University
• Language: English
• Date: 2012-03-06
• Publisher: American Society of Microbiology
• Publication Version: Final Published Version
• Copyright Statement: © 2012 del Pilar Martin et al.
• License: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.crossref.org/10.1128%2FmBio.00012-12
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: mBio
• Volume: 3
• Issue: 2
• Start Page: e00012
• End Page: 12
• Grant/Funding Information: The work was supported in part by U.S. National Institutes of Health grants AI074579;, EB006369;, and EB012495.; M.P.M. was supported by a fellowship from NIH/NIAID HHSN266200700006C Center of Excellence for Influenza Research and Surveillance.
• Research Categories: Biology, Microbiology; Health Sciences, Immunology; Health Sciences, Radiology

Abstract

ABSTRACT Microneedle patches (MN) provide a novel method of vaccine delivery to the skin with the objective of targeting the large network of resident antigen-presenting cells to induce an efficient immune response. Our previous reports demonstrated that cutaneous delivery of inactivated influenza virus-coated MN to mice protects against lethal infection. Protection is correlated with sustained levels of anti-influenza virus serum antibodies, hemagglutination inhibition titers, and robust cellular responses that are often stronger than those generated by intramuscular vaccination. Here we dissect the early events occurring in murine skin after microneedle delivery of inactivated influenza virus. We demonstrate correlation of immunization against influenza virus with a local increase of cytokines important for recruitment of neutrophils, monocytes and dendritic cells at the site of immunization. We also observed prolonged antigen deposition, and migration of matured dendritic cells bearing influenza virus antigen from the skin.