Dry-powder pulmonary insufflation in the mouse for application to vaccine or drug studies

Pulmonary delivery of substances in small animal models is often useful for experimental testing of various vaccine and drug candidates. One of the most challenging elements to such protocols is the efficient disposition of test materials in the lungs of mice. Herein we detail a means to deliver dry powders of an inhalant live-attenuated Mycobacterium bovis Bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccine against Mycobacterium tuberculosis to the lungs of mice. The direct delivery methodology is quick, safe, and allows for repeated pulmonary insufflation of substances if boosting is desired. This model system could be easily adapted for use with other dry-powder vaccine and drug candidates. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.