A novel nanoparticulate adjuvant for immunotherapy with Lolium perenne.

Specific immunotherapy implies certain drawbacks which could be minimized by the use of appropriate adjuvants, capable of amplifying the right immune response with minimal side effects. In this context, previous studies of our group have demonstrated the adjuvant capacity of Gantrez AN nanoparticles, which can effectively enhance the immune response. In this work, two types of nanoparticles (with and without LPS of Brucella ovis as immunomodulator) with encapsulated Lolium perenne extract are tested in a model of sensitized mice to this allergenic mixture. The results we obtained showed that Lolium-Gantrez nanoparticles with LPS of B. ovis were able to induce significative Th1 responses, characterized by the IgG(2a) isotype. Furthermore, in the challenge experiment of the sensitized mice, differences in the mortality rate and in the mMCP-1 levels were found between the treated groups and the control. Under the experimental conditions of this model of pre-sensitized mice to L. perenne, Gantrez AN nanoparticles appeared to be a good strategy for immunotherapy.