Probiotic-derived amphiphilic exopolysaccharide self-assembling adjuvant delivery platform for enhancing immune responses

Enhancing immune response activation through the synergy of effective antigen delivery and immune enhancement using natural, biodegradable materials with immune-adjuvant capabilities is challenging. Here, we present NAPS that can activate the Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) pathway, an amphiphilic exopolysaccharide, as a potential self-assembly adjuvant delivery platform. Its molecular structure and unique properties exhibited remarkable self-assembly, forming a homogeneous nanovaccine with ovalbumin (OVA) as the model antigen. When used as an adjuvant, NAPS significantly increased OVA uptake by dendritic cells. In vivo imaging revealed prolonged pharmacokinetics of NAPS -delivered OVA compared to OVA alone. Notably, NAPS induced elevated levels of specific serum IgG and isotype titers, enhancing rejection of B16-OVA melanoma xenografts in vaccinated mice. Additionally, NAPS formulation improved therapeutic effects, inhibiting tumor growth, and increasing animal survival rates. The nanovaccine elicited CD4 and CD8 T cell-based immune responses, demonstrating the potential for melanoma prevention. Furthermore, NAPS -based vaccination showed stronger protective effects against influenza compared to Al (OH) adjuvant. Our findings suggest NAPS as a promising, natural self-adjuvanting delivery platform to enhance vaccine design across applications.