Abstract
Vaccination is one of the most successful applications of immunology and for a long time has depended on parenteral administration protocols. However, recent studies have pointed to the promise of mucosal vaccination because of its ease, economy and efficiency in inducing an immune response not only systemically, but also in the mucosal compartment where many pathogenic infections are initiated. However, successful mucosal vaccination requires the help of an adjuvant for the efficient delivery of vaccine material into the mucosa and the breaking of the tolerogenic environment, especially in oral mucosal immunization. Given that M cells are the main gateway to take up luminal antigens and initiate antigen-specific immune responses, understanding the role and characteristics of M cells is crucial for the development of successful mucosal vaccines. Especially, particular interest has been focused on the regulation of the tolerogenic mucosal microenvironment and the introduction of the luminal antigen into the lymphoid organ by exploiting the molecules of M cells. Here, we review the characteristics of M cells and the immune regulatory factors in mucosa that can be exploited for mucosal vaccine delivery and mucosal immune regulation.
Highlights
The Sabin live attenuated oral polio vaccine introduced in 1950 is an example of a successful mucosal vaccination.[1]
Considering that 90% of infections occur in mucosal areas, it is conceivable that using mucosal vaccinations to establish protective immunity in this frontline of pathogen infection could overcome some of the limitations of current injection-based vaccines.[5]
We summarize the characteristics of M cells, which are involved in antigen uptake and other critical elements of the mucosal immune system, and strategies to improve the efficiency of mucosal immune response induction
Summary
The Sabin live attenuated oral polio vaccine introduced in 1950 is an example of a successful mucosal vaccination.[1]. Recent research progress on the mucosal immune system and mucosal vaccine adjuvants makes it possible for us to consider mucosal vaccines as plausible alternatives to parenteral vaccination.[7] In this review, we summarize the characteristics of M cells, which are involved in antigen uptake and other critical elements of the mucosal immune system, and strategies to improve the efficiency of mucosal immune response induction. ORAL MUCOSAL VACCINE For almost a century, many studies have concentrated on developing oral vaccines against enteric pathogens as the route of immunization is critical in the successful induction of the immune response in the mucosal compartments where the infections initiate.[8] only a handful of licensed oral vaccines against these enteric infections exist, as summarized
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