RE: Vaccines and aluminium nanoparticles
References
1. Boni MF. Vaccination and antigenic drift in influenza. Vaccine, 2008 26 (Suppl. 3):C8–14. doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2008.04.011
2. Laval JM, Mazeran PE, Thomas D. Nanobiotechnology and its role in the development of new analytical devices. Analyst 2000: 125:29–33. doi: 10.1039/a907827d
A new generation of vaccines based on nanoparticles has shown great potential to address most of the limitations of conventional and subunit vaccines. This is due to recent advances in chemical and biological engineering, which allow the design of nanoparticles with a precise control over the size, shape, functionality and surface properties, leading to enhanced antigen presentation and strong immunogenicity.
Several promising vaccines are currently evaluated in the clinics for different respiratory viruses. These new vaccine formulations aim to be safer and more efficient compared to traditional vaccines based on attenuated viruses, killed pathogens and subunits. Nevertheless, the high level of antigenic drift (genetic mutations) of some viruses, such as the influenza virus, reduces the efficacy of vaccines and needs to be addressed (1).
The recent use of Aluminium nanoparticles in vaccines are reported to cross blood-brain barrier and harm the brain cells because of molecular mimicry. Therefore, efficacy of vaccines need to be monitored including safety measures before one embarks on vaccinations (2).