Journal of Vaccines & Vaccination

Mechanism of action of the oil in water emulsion vaccine adjuvant MF59

International Conference & Exhibition on Vaccines & Vaccination

22-24 Nov 2011 Philadelphia Airport Marriott, USA

Ennio De Gregorio

Scientific Tracks Abstracts: J Vaccines Vaccin

Abstract:

Th e oil-in-water emulsion MF59 has been tested in human in combination with several antigens and is licensed for pandemic and seasonal fl u vaccines. Despite the large use of oil-in- water emulsions and their proven effi cacy and safety in humans, their mechanism of action is only partially understood. We have found that MF59 activates innate immunity genes including cytokines and other genes involved in blood cell recruitment at injection site in mouse. In agreement with the local gene expression profi les, we could show that MF59 promoted a rapid infi ltration of blood cells in the muscle. By using fl uorescent OVA antigen we could demonstrate that MF59 promotes antigen uptake by several blood cell types and increases the transport of the antigen from the muscle to the draining lymph nodes. Recently, we dissected the relative contribution of the various components of the MF59 emulsion to innate immune genes activation, antigen uptake, cell migration and adjuvanticity. We have also assessed the requirement of several innate immune-related genes including Nlrp3 infl ammasome and MyD88 for MF59 adjuvanticity and local innate immune activation.

Biography :

Ennio De Gregorio has completed his Ph.D from EMBL in Heidelberg, Germany and postdoctoral studies from CNRS in Paris, France. Since 2008 he is the Head of Immunology in Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics research center in Siena, Italy.