Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering - Research Publications

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    A Protective Vaccine Delivery System for In Vivo T Cell Stimulation Using Nanoengineered Polymer Hydrogel Capsules
    Sexton, A ; Whitney, PG ; Chong, S-F ; Zelikin, AN ; Johnston, APR ; De Rose, R ; Brooks, AG ; Caruso, F ; Kent, SJ (AMER CHEMICAL SOC, 2009-11)
    Successful delivery of labile vaccine antigens, such as peptides and proteins, to stimulate CD4 and CD8 T cell immunity could improve vaccine strategies against chronic infections such as HIV and Hepatitis C. Layer-by-layer (LbL)-assembled nanoengineered hydrogel capsules represent a novel and promising technology for the protection and delivery of labile vaccine candidates to antigen-presenting cells (APCs). Here we report on the in vitro and in vivo immunostimulatory capabilities of LbL-assembled disulfide cross-linked poly(methacrylic acid) (PMA(SH)) hydrogel capsules as a delivery strategy for protein and peptide vaccines using robust transgenic mice models and ovalbumin (OVA) as a model vaccine. We demonstrate that OVA protein as well as multiple OVA peptides can be successfully encapsulated within nanoengineered PMA(SH) hydrogel capsules. OVA-containing PMA(SH) capsules are internalized by mouse APCs, resulting in presentation of OVA epitopes and subsequent activation of OVA-specific CD4 and CD8 T cells in vitro. OVA-specific CD4 and CD8 T cells are also activated to proliferate in vivo following intravenous vaccination of mice with OVA protein- and OVA peptide-loaded PMA(SH) hydrogel capsules. Furthermore, we show that OVA encapsulated within the PMA(SH) capsules resulted in at least 6-fold greater proliferation of OVA-specific CD8 T cells and 70-fold greater proliferation of OVA-specific CD4 T cells in vivo compared to the equivalent amount of OVA protein administered alone. These results highlight the potential of nanoengineered hydrogel capsules for vaccine delivery.
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    Degradable, Surfactant-Free, Monodisperse Polymer-Encapsulated Emulsions as Anticancer Drug Carriers
    Sivakumar, S ; Bansal, V ; Cortez, C ; Chong, S-F ; Zelikin, AN ; Caruso, F (WILEY-V C H VERLAG GMBH, 2009-05-11)