Physical, Chemical, and Biological Properties of Chitosan-Coated Alginate Microparticles Loaded with Porcine Interleukin-1β: A Potential Protein Adjuvant Delivery System

Int J Mol Sci. 2022 Sep 1;23(17):9959. doi: 10.3390/ijms23179959.

Abstract

We previously developed chicken interleukin-1β (IL-1β) mutants as single-dose adjuvants that induce protective immunity when co-administered with an avian vaccine. However, livestock such as pigs may require a vaccine adjuvant delivery system that provides long-lasting protection to reduce the need for successive booster doses. Therefore, we developed chitosan-coated alginate microparticles as a carrier for bovine serum albumin (BSA) or porcine IL-1β (pIL-1β) and assessed their physical, chemical, and biological properties. Electrospraying of the BSA-loaded alginate microparticles (BSA/ALG MPs) resulted in an encapsulation efficiency of 50%, and those MPs were then coated with chitosan (BSA/ALG/CHI MPs). Optical and scanning electron microscopy, zeta potential analysis, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy were used to characterize these MPs. The BSA encapsulation parameters were applied to ALG/CHI MPs loaded with pIL-1β, which were not cytotoxic to porcine fibroblasts but had enhanced bio-activity over unencapsulated pIL-1β. The chitosan layer of the BSA/ALG/CHI MPs prevented burst release and facilitated sustained release of pIL-1β for at least 28 days. In conclusion, BSA/ALG/CHI MPs prepared as a carrier for pIL-1β may be used as an adjuvant for the formulation of pig vaccines.

Keywords: alginate; chitosan; electrospray; interleukin-1β; microparticles; zeta potential.

MeSH terms

  • Alginates / chemistry
  • Animals
  • Chitosan* / chemistry
  • Glucuronic Acid / chemistry
  • Glucuronic Acid / pharmacology
  • Hexuronic Acids / chemistry
  • Hexuronic Acids / pharmacology
  • Interleukin-1beta
  • Serum Albumin, Bovine / chemistry
  • Swine
  • Vaccines*

Substances

  • Alginates
  • Hexuronic Acids
  • Interleukin-1beta
  • Vaccines
  • Serum Albumin, Bovine
  • Glucuronic Acid
  • Chitosan

Grants and funding

This research was funded by the Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan (MOST grant numbers 111-2634-F-007-007, 110-2221-E-007-017-MY3, and 108-2313-B-007-002) and by the Frontier Research Center on Fundamental and Applied Sciences of Matters, from The Featured Areas Research Center Program within the framework of the Higher Education Sprout Project by the Ministry of Education, Taiwan.