Most vaccines approved by regulatory bodies are administered via intramuscular or subcutaneous injections and have shortcomings, such as the risk of needle-associated blood infections, pain and swelling at the injection site. Orally administered vaccines are of interest, as they elicit both systemic and mucosal immunities, in which mucosal immunity would neutralize the mucosa invading pathogen before the onset of an infection. Hence, oral vaccination can eliminate the injection associated adverse effects and enhance the person's compliance. Conventional approaches to manufacturing oral vaccines, such as coacervation, spray drying, and membrane emulsification, tend to alter the structural proteins in vaccines that result from high temperature, organic and toxic solvents during production. Electrohydrodynamic processes, specifically electrospraying, could solve these challenges, as it also modulates antigen release and has a high loading efficiency. This review will highlight the mucosal immunity and biological basis of the gastrointestinal immune system, different oral vaccine delivery approaches, and the application of electrospraying in vaccines development.
Keywords: APCs, Antigen-presenting cells; BALT, Bronchus-associated lymphoid tissue; DCs, Dendritic cells; Electrospraying; FAE, Follicle-associated epithelium; GALT, Gut-associated lymphoid tissue; GIT, Gastro-intestinal tract; HIV, Human immune virus; IL, Interleukin; Ig, Immunoglobulin; Infectious diseases; MALT, Mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue; MLN, Mesenteric lymph nodes; MNPs, Micro/Nanoparticles; Mucosal immunity; Mucosal pathogen; NALT, Nasopharynx-associated lymphoid tissue; Oral vaccines; PLGA, Polylactide-co-glycolide acid; PP, Peyer’s patches; Secretory, (SIgA1 and SIgA2); TGF-β, Transforming growth factor-β; TLRs, Toll-like receptors; WHO, World Health Organization.
© 2022 The Author(s).