Novel bio-mimicking nanocarriers for oral delivery of mucosal vaccines – protection at the first line of defence
The MucoProtect nanoparticle delivery system demonstrates significant promise for advancing vaccination strategies in Atlantic salmon. Although the project did not reach the ultimate goal of developing an oral mucosal vaccine for fish (further refinements are necessary for the oral feed vaccine preparation), the results from vaccination trials were promising.
Our antigen delivery system presents a safe, cost-effective, and robust vaccination strategy that could greatly benefit the aquaculture industry. It is worth noting that an enhanced immune response in Atlantic salmon was achieved even with a relatively low-immunogenic model protein antigen (BSA), indicating potential as a vaccine platform for fish pathogens where vaccine development has been challenging due to lack of immunogenic targets.
While further investigation is needed, the MucoProtect delivery system could also be adapted for use with nucleic acid-based vaccines, such as DNA or mRNA vaccines. The nanoparticle platform’s capacity for sustained release and enhanced protection of payloads positions it as a promising tool for improving immune induction following intramuscular injections. This approach could provide a novel solution for delivering advanced vaccine technologies and extending their benefits to aquaculture applications.
Beyond its practical applications, our in vivo trials using the MucoProtect platform have yielded additional scientific insights into the immune responses of Atlantic salmon—specifically, how different vaccine components and delivery routes influence systemic and localized B cell responses. This provides a foundation for broader research into fish immunology, advancing our understanding of vaccination strategies and immune mechanisms in aquaculture species.
Project partners: Norwegian Veterinary Institute, Havforskningsinstituttet, SINTEF
Project periode: 2018-2024
Funding: RCN
Presentations
- Penaranda MMD, Truong TL, Samdal IA, Strand SP, Sæle Ø, Gunasekaran SC, Mørch <YA, Hatletveit AR, Tøndervik A, Solhaug A, Sengee A, Berntssen M, Sørensen SG, Johnson H. MucoProtect: Et lovende nytt bio-mimisk system for oral levering av mukosale vaksiner i atlantisk laks. Havbruk 2024, 22.-24.10.2024, Tromsø, Norway
- Mørch Y, Truong TL, Hatletveit AR, Johnsen H, Tøndervik A, Soleim KB, Samdal IA, Solhaug A, Berntssen M, Penaranda MMD, Sørensenn SG. MucoProtect: A promising novel bio-mimicking system for oral delivery of mucosal vaccines in Atlantic salmon. Havbruk 2022, 19.-21.10.2022, Bergen, Norway