Abstract

DEVELOPMENT OF LEISHMANIA DONOVANIANTIGEN LOADED MANNOSYLATED BILOSOMES TO TARGET M-CELLS: IN VITRO CHARACTERIZATION

Berwal Deepika, *Senthil Kumar M

ABSTRACT

The aim of the study was to develop mannosylated bilosomes as oral vaccine delivery carrier for producing mucosal immunization against visceral leishmaniasis. Visceral leishmaniasis is the one of the most dangerous disease which may cause death if left untreated. The best solution of this problem is to develop immunization against the disease.Immunization can be produced via parenteral or oral routes but immunization produced by oral route is best suited and convenient for patient. Since bilosomes are prepared from naturally occurringlipids and produce no toxicity on their use, they can be used to replace the conventional lipid vesicular systems for the oral delivery of antigenic proteins. The ability of mannosylatedbilosomes to produce immune response is higher than uncoated bilosomes and hencebetter oral immunization can be produced by using mannosylatedbilosomes as carrier which are more stable in gastrointestinal tract.The bilosomes were prepared and coated with o-palmitoylmannan to enhance their affinity towards antigen presenting cells of peyer’spateches. The bilosomes were characterized for their size, shape, encapsulation efficiency, ligand binding specificity, antigen release, stability and targeting to M-cells of peyer’s patches. Mannosylated bilosomes were found to target the M-cells.

Keywords: leishmania donovani, Mannosylated bilosomes, M-cells.