A Biomimetic, Silaffin R5-Based Antigen Delivery Platform

Nature offers a wide range of evolutionary optimized materials that combine unique properties with intrinsic biocompatibility and that can be exploited as biomimetic materials. The R5 and RRIL peptides employed here are derived from silaffin proteins that play a crucial role in the biomineralization of marine diatom silica shells and are also able to form silica materials in vitro. Here, we demonstrate the application of biomimetic silica particles as a vaccine delivery and adjuvant platform by linking the precipitating peptides R5 and the RRIL motif to a variety of peptide antigens. The resulting antigen-loaded silica particles combine the advantages of biomaterial-based vaccines with the proven intracellular uptake of silica particles. These particles induce NETosis in human neutrophils as well as IL-6 and TNF-alpha secretion in murine bone marrow-derived dendritic cells.

Automated summary

Nature provides optimized materials with unique properties and biocompatibility that can be used as biomimetic materials. In this study, biomimetic silica particles were used as a vaccine delivery and adjuvant platform by linking specific peptides to peptide antigens. These antigen-loaded silica particles combine the advantages of biomaterial-based vaccines and the proven intracellular uptake of silica particles, inducing immune responses.