Adjuvants: State of the Art and New Developments
Sylvia van Drunen Littel-van den Hurk and George Mutwiri
from: Veterinary Vaccines: Current Innovations and Future Trends (Edited by: Laurel J. Gershwin and Amelia R. Woolums). Caister Academic Press, U.K. (2020) Pages: 107-148.
Abstract
Adjuvants are used for formulation of vaccine antigens to increase immune responses. While only a few different kinds of adjuvant are used in veterinary vaccines, many new adjuvant types are under investigation, and although much research still needs to be done, we have increased knowledge of the mechanism of action of adjuvants. We also have a much better understanding of the innate immune system, and the link with adaptive immunity. This allows us to develop a better rationale for selection of adjuvants suitable for specific antigens, diseases, animal species and routes of delivery. Since multiple receptors and ligands are involved in activation of the innate immune response, adjuvant formulations can be generated that contain one or several of those ligands in combinations that are tailor-made for induction of humoral, cell-mediated or balanced immune responses. Many new adjuvants combine several mechanisms of action, which can be additive or synergistic. In this chapter we discuss the state of the art and recent progress in adjuvant development, particularly in the context of veterinary vaccines, as well as the mechanism of action known for some of the adjuvants read more ...
