Vaccines have saved millions of lives, but nobody likes getting a shot. That’s why scientists are trying to develop oral vaccines for infectious diseases.
But to be effective, the vaccine must survive digestion and reach immune cells within the intestinal wall. Now, researchers reporting in the ACS journal Nano Letters have developed oral vaccines powered by micromotors that target the mucus layer of the intestine.
In addition to avoiding needles, oral vaccines can generate a broader immune response by stimulating immune cells within the mucus layer of the intestine to produce a special class of antibody called immunoglobulin A (IgA). Joseph Wang, Liangfang Zhang and colleagues wondered if they could use magnesium particles as tiny motors to deliver an oral vaccine against the bacterial pathogen Staphylococcus aureus. When coated over most of their surfaces with titanium dioxide, magnesium microparticles use water as fuel to generate hydrogen bubbles that power their propulsion.
To develop the oral vaccine, the researchers coated magnesium micromotors with red blood cell membranes that displayed the Staphylococcal ?-toxin, along with a layer of chitosan to help them stick to the intestinal mucus. Then, they added an enteric coating that protects drugs from the acidic conditions of the stomach. When given orally to mice, the micromotors safely passed through the stomach, and then the enteric coating dissolved, activating the motors. Imaging of mice that had been given the vaccine showed that the micromotors accumulated in the intestinal wall much better than non-motorized particles. The micromotors also stimulated the production of about ten times more IgA antibodies against the Staphylococcal ?-toxin than the static particles.
Learn more: Micromotors deliver oral vaccines
The Latest on: Oral vaccines
[google_news title=”” keyword=”oral vaccines” num_posts=”10″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]
via Google News
The Latest on: Oral vaccines
- Cholera Oral Vaccine: WHO Prequalifies a New Simplified Vaccineon April 26, 2024 at 3:54 am
The World Health Organization (WHO) has prequalified a new oral cholera vaccine, a simplified formulation that will help increase its production capacity.
- Demand for the cholera vaccine is soaring – this company might have a solutionon April 25, 2024 at 9:02 am
In the global race to provide enough vaccines to tackle the ever-growing threat posed by cholera, one company is leading the field.
- Cows' milk particles used for effective oral delivery of drugson April 24, 2024 at 11:16 am
Researchers have found that tiny particles present in cows' milk could offer, for the first time, an effective method for the oral delivery of RNA drugs.
- Netherlands: Health Secy visits Bilthoven Biologicals, discusses collaboration on production of oral polio vaccineon April 24, 2024 at 7:55 am
Union Health Secretary Apurva Chandra on Wednesday visited the manufacturing unit of global pharmaceutical company Bilthoven Biologicals at Utrecht, Netherlands.
- A vaccine for bees has an unexpected effecton April 24, 2024 at 5:29 am
WASHINGTON — The first vaccine designed for insects may make honeybees healthier overall. Honeybee hives vaccinated against a bacterial disease had much lower levels of an unrelated viral disease than ...
- WHO prequalifies new oral simplified vaccine for choleraon April 23, 2024 at 1:55 am
A new oral vaccine for cholera has received prequalification by the World Health Organization (WHO). The inactivated oral vaccine Euvichol-S has a similar efficacy to existing vaccines but a ...
- World Health Organization prequalifies simplified oral cholera vaccine Euvichol-Son April 22, 2024 at 4:29 am
The World Health Organization (WHO) has prequalified a new inactivated and simplified oral vaccine for cholera, Euvichol-S, to “rapidly increase” production capacity to overcome global shortages. The ...
- WHO prequalifies new simplified oral vaccine for choleraon April 22, 2024 at 12:00 am
While similar in efficacy to existing vaccines, the inactivated oral vaccine has a simplified formulation, allowing opportunities to rapidly increase production capacity ...
- WHO prequalifies new oral vaccine for cholera; Here’s what you need to knowon April 19, 2024 at 4:48 am
Euvichol-S is a simplified formulation of the oral cholera vaccine (OCV) Euvichol-Plus. The vaccine is manufactured by South Korea-based EuBiologics Co., Ltd.
- Easier-to-Make Cholera Vaccine Approved by WHO Amid Shortageon April 19, 2024 at 2:06 am
An oral vaccine for cholera that is more simple to make than existing versions has been approved by the World Health Organization in a move that is expected to rapidly increase production capacity ...
via Bing News