Subunit vaccines confer the advantage of enhanced safety and scalability compared to whole-cell vaccines. However, it is critical and challenging to identify and select novel adjuvants in the development of subunit vaccines. In recent years, some plant-derived molecules had been explored as candidate adjuvants, including saponins, polysaccharides, and flavonoids.
Saponins derived from medicinal and food plants, such as Quillaja saponaria, Quillaja brasiliensis, Panax ginseng, and Panax notoginseng, have received increasing attention in discovering novel adjuvants. Saponins-based adjuvants can promote the secretion of various cytokines, augment Th1 and Th2 responses, induce antibodies of multiple subclasses, enhance immune cell trafficking, or allow antigen dose-sparing. Moreover, the chemical structures of saponins are closely related to their adjuvant effect and affect the nature of immune responses. Establishing the structure-activity relationship may provide evidence for structural modifications to discover novel saponins-based adjuvants. The Adjuvant System AS01 and Matrix-M™ containing plant-derived saponins have been approved for use in human vaccines.
In addition, a variety of plant-derived polysaccharides and flavonoids have been shown to possess immune-promoting effects, and they can enhance antigen-specific humoral, cellular, and mucosal responses. Advax, a delta inulin-derived polysaccharide, has been tested as an adjuvant for several vaccines. The plant-derived adjuvants are expected to be a better choice for future clinical applications due to their lower toxicity and allow their use in the development of more effective, safer, and more stable vaccines.
The goal of this Research Topic is to highlight the important role of novel plant-derived adjuvants in vaccine research and development, broaden the sources of adjuvants, enhance immune responses, improve the protective effect of vaccines, and provide solid support for the discovery of new, efficient, and durable vaccines.
A Research Topic on “Plant-derived vaccine adjuvants” had the bullet points as below:
1) Discovery of novel plant-derived adjuvants, especially those that can induce robust mucosal or T cell responses;
2) Structure-activity relationship of plant-derived adjuvants such as saponins, polysaccharides, and flavonoids;
3) Mechanisms of plant-derived adjuvants in modulating immune responses;
4) Combination of existing immunostimulants and plant-derived adjuvants, and the characteristics of immune responses after introduction into the delivery system.
Subunit vaccines confer the advantage of enhanced safety and scalability compared to whole-cell vaccines. However, it is critical and challenging to identify and select novel adjuvants in the development of subunit vaccines. In recent years, some plant-derived molecules had been explored as candidate adjuvants, including saponins, polysaccharides, and flavonoids.
Saponins derived from medicinal and food plants, such as Quillaja saponaria, Quillaja brasiliensis, Panax ginseng, and Panax notoginseng, have received increasing attention in discovering novel adjuvants. Saponins-based adjuvants can promote the secretion of various cytokines, augment Th1 and Th2 responses, induce antibodies of multiple subclasses, enhance immune cell trafficking, or allow antigen dose-sparing. Moreover, the chemical structures of saponins are closely related to their adjuvant effect and affect the nature of immune responses. Establishing the structure-activity relationship may provide evidence for structural modifications to discover novel saponins-based adjuvants. The Adjuvant System AS01 and Matrix-M™ containing plant-derived saponins have been approved for use in human vaccines.
In addition, a variety of plant-derived polysaccharides and flavonoids have been shown to possess immune-promoting effects, and they can enhance antigen-specific humoral, cellular, and mucosal responses. Advax, a delta inulin-derived polysaccharide, has been tested as an adjuvant for several vaccines. The plant-derived adjuvants are expected to be a better choice for future clinical applications due to their lower toxicity and allow their use in the development of more effective, safer, and more stable vaccines.
The goal of this Research Topic is to highlight the important role of novel plant-derived adjuvants in vaccine research and development, broaden the sources of adjuvants, enhance immune responses, improve the protective effect of vaccines, and provide solid support for the discovery of new, efficient, and durable vaccines.
A Research Topic on “Plant-derived vaccine adjuvants” had the bullet points as below:
1) Discovery of novel plant-derived adjuvants, especially those that can induce robust mucosal or T cell responses;
2) Structure-activity relationship of plant-derived adjuvants such as saponins, polysaccharides, and flavonoids;
3) Mechanisms of plant-derived adjuvants in modulating immune responses;
4) Combination of existing immunostimulants and plant-derived adjuvants, and the characteristics of immune responses after introduction into the delivery system.