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Protein-Based Adjuvants for Vaccines as Immunomodulators of the Innate and Adaptive Immune Response: Current Knowledge, Challenges, and Future Opportunities

2022; Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute; Volume: 14; Issue: 8 Linguagem: Inglês

10.3390/pharmaceutics14081671

1999-4923

Diego A. Díaz-Dinamarca, Michelle L. Salazar, Byron N. Castillo, Augusto Manubens, Abel E. Vásquez, Fabián Salazar, Marı́a Inés Becker,

Influenza Virus Research Studies

New-generation vaccines, formulated with subunits or nucleic acids, are less immunogenic than classical vaccines formulated with live-attenuated or inactivated pathogens. This difference has led to an intensified search for additional potent vaccine adjuvants that meet safety and efficacy criteria and confer long-term protection. This review provides an overview of protein-based adjuvants (PBAs) obtained from different organisms, including bacteria, mollusks, plants, and humans. Notably, despite structural differences, all PBAs show significant immunostimulatory properties, eliciting B-cell- and T-cell-mediated immune responses to administered antigens, providing advantages over many currently adopted adjuvant approaches. Furthermore, PBAs are natural biocompatible and biodegradable substances that induce minimal reactogenicity and toxicity and interact with innate immune receptors, enhancing their endocytosis and modulating subsequent adaptive immune responses. We propose that PBAs can contribute to the development of vaccines against complex pathogens, including intracellular pathogens such as