Adjuvant effect of biodegradable poly(DL-lactic acid) granules capable for antigen release following intraperitoneal injection.

Ovalbumin (OVA)-containing poly(DL-lactic acid) (PDLLA) granules were prepared with different conditions. Following the intraperitoneal (i.p.) immunization of mice with the granules containing OVA, production of anti-OVA IgG antibody in the mouse serum was investigated. The i.p. injection of the granules induced a strong antibody production compared with that of free OVA, irrespective of the amount of OVA released for initial a few weeks and the period of OVA release. The serum level of IgG antibody induced by the granules was retained at a high level over 16 weeks although the period of OVA release and the amount of OVA released initially were different from each other. The initial OVA release for a few weeks was essential to induce the enhanced antibody production. Comparison of mice immunization by granules with different OVA loadings but at a similar dose revealed that antibody level was higher for the granules with lower loading than for those with the higher loading. However, when the granules were injected after encapsulation into a poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) hydrogel tube, the difference in their antibody level became insignificant. Because PVA encapsulation did not affect the OVA release profile, this finding indicates that the injection amount of the granules seems to have influenced the antibody production. We conclude that the release profile of OVA is not always a key factor to enhance the antibody production of OVA-containing granules so far as the initial OVA controlled release is achieved.