Abstract
The development of prophylactic anti-candidal vaccine comprising the Candida albicans cytosolic proteins (Cp) as antigen and plasma beads (PB) prepared from plasma as sustained delivery system, is described. The immune-prophylactic potential of various PBs-based dual antigen delivery systems, co-entrapping Cp pre-entrapped in PLGA microspheres were tested in the murine model. Induction of cell mediated immunity was measured by assaying DTH and NO production as well as in vitro proliferation of lymphocytes derived from the immunized animals. Expression of surface markers on APCs (CD80, CD86) and T-cells (CD4+, CD8+) was also evaluated. Humoral immune response was studied by measuring circulating anti-Cp antibodies and their subclasses. When the prophylactic efficacy of the vaccines was tested in mice challenged with virulent C. albicans, the PB-based formulation (PB-PLGA-Cp vaccine) was found to be most effective in the generation of desirable immune response, in terms of suppression of fungal load and facilitating the survival of the immunized animals.