Nanoparticles for DNA Vaccine Delivery

Nanotechnology is the development of engineered devices or materials at the micro molecular level in the nanometer range. The properties of nanoparticles that these could be designed, manufactured and introduced into the human body, have led to its application in various fields of medicine. They are being used for construction of diagnostic devices, contrast agents, analytical tools, physical therapy, drug discovery and drug delivery vehicles. The DNA vaccines have been emerged as best remedy for problematic diseases being capable of producing humoral and cellular immune responses as well as the safest vaccines so far. There are a large number of infectious diseases against which traditional vaccines failed to respond effectively. Especially, viral diseases and cancer where DNA vaccines seem to be the better option. However, the magnitude of immune responses produced by them in primates is not sufficient to be used in human beings. There is an evidence that these immune responses can be augmented by using properly structured nano-sized particles that may avoid DNA degradation and facilitate targeted and controlled delivery to antigen presenting cells. Adsorption, formulation or encapsulation with particles has been found to stabilize DNA formulations. The use of nanoparticles for vaccine delivery is a platform technology and has been applied for delivery of a variety of existing and potential vaccines successfully.