Soybean oil containing ginseng saponins as adjuvants promotes production of cytokines and enhances immune responses to foot ‐and‐mouth disease vaccine

ABSTRACT The adjuvant effect of soybean oil containing ginseng root saponins (SO‐GS‐R) on the immune response to foot‐and‐mouth disease vaccine (FMDV) in mice was investigated in this study. When immunized with FMDV antigen emulsified in an SO‐GS‐R formulation, mice generated remarkably higher serum antibody and cytokine responses than mice immunized with FMDV antigen alone. To elucidate the mechanisms underlying the adjuvant effect of SO‐GS‐R, we measured cytokines in the serum and muscle tissue after intramuscular injection of SO‐GS‐R. The results showed that injection of SO‐GS‐R significantly increased the levels of IL‐1β, IL‐5, IL‐6, G‐CSF, KC, MCP‐1, MIP‐1α, and MIP‐1β in both serum and muscle. These results suggested that SO‐GS‐R recruits neutrophils, eosinophils, T cells and macrophages, causing immune cell recruitment at the injection site, driving APCs to actively participate the onset of immunity, and amplifying the immune responses. Considering its adjuvant activity and plant‐originated property, SO‐GS‐R should be further studied for its adjuvant effect on the vaccines used in food animals.
Source: Microbiology and Immunology - Category: Microbiology Authors: Tags: Original Article Source Type: research