Interleukin/chitosan (JY) adjuvant enhances the mucosal immunity of human papillomavirus 16 L1 virus-like particles in mice

Mucosal immunity may provide a defense against human papillomavirus (HPV) but there are no FDA-approved adjuvants capable of stimulating immune responses within mucosal tissues. After mice were immunized intranasally three times with HPV16 L1 virus-like particles plus with JY adjuvant, which is composed of interleukin-2 and chitosan, sera IgG antibody titer, sera neutralizing antibody titer, sIgA concentration in respiratory tract washes, sIgA concentration in vaginal washes and the number of spot-forming cells (SFC) in splenic lymphocytes were 320 ± 15, 40 ± 2, 27 ± 1.3, 27 ± 1.7 μg/ml and 176.7 ± 6 SFC/106, respectively; In the group without JY adjuvant, the outcomes were 80 ± 9.4, null, 22 ± 1, 20 ± 2.4 μg/ml and 91 ± 5.2 SFC/106, respectively. Therefore, JY adjuvant may be an effective mucosal adjuvant for HPV vaccine in mice.