Functional aspects of iscoms.

The iscom is a delivery system, designed for both parenteral and mucosal modes of administration, for both antigens and adjuvants, components which are interchangeable. By the parenteral route a prominent systemic Th1 type of response is evoked, but the mucosal immunoglobulin A (IgA) response was insignificant. Intranasal (i.n.) immunization with iscoms evoked potent mucosal IgA response and serum IgG which was much higher than that induced by i.n. administration of the B subunit of cholera toxin (rCTB), both to rCTB itself as well as to co-administered antigen. The immunomodulatory effect on rCTB or co-administered antigens imposed by the iscom was demonstrated by a potent mucosal IgA switch and an enhanced IgG2a serum response. The incorporation of a targeting molecule in the iscom enhanced the remote IgA response in the genital tract mucosa. The capacity to induce CD8-restricted cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) is unique for the iscom as a nonreplicating system, which is facilitated by the delivery of antigens to the cytosol. The immunomodulatory capacity of iscoms also paved the way to override the inhibitory effect of maternally derived antibodies and the relative unresponsiveness of an immature neonatal immune system.