Polymer-Based Nanoparticles as Modern Vaccine Delivery Systems

Nanoparticulate carriers are particularly promising and versatile in stimulating immune response. Indeed, nanotechnology allows the creation of structures that exploit the inherent ability of the immune system to recognize nanoscale systems. This chapter will review the most recent developments of polymeric nanoparticles with a special emphasis on their ability to interact with the immune system network. Polymer-based vaccines allow effective encapsulation and controlled release of one or several antigens. They promote antigen processing and further association with major histocompatibility complex class molecules, and they modulate the induced immune response. Moreover, they can also contain and regulate the intracellular trafficking of other agents such as adjuvants with a strong potential for modulating both the nature and strength of an immune response. The recent developments of polymeric nanovaccines will be discussed as will the various parameters that play a role in their efficiency.