Influenza virosomes are an efficient delivery system for respiratory syncytial virus-F antigen inducing humoral and cell-mediated immunity

In the present study we investigated the efficacy of a new potential vaccine constituted of the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)-F protein associated with influenza virosomes (RSV-F/IRIV) in combination with the mucosal adjuvant Escheriagen (Escherichia coli heat-labile toxin), administered intranasally (i.n.) to BALB/c mice. After an intramuscular priming with influenza virus vaccine, group A of mice was i.n. immunized with of RSV-F/IRIV + heat-labile toxin (HLT), groups B and C were inoculated i.n. with F-RSV + HLT and IRIV + HLT, respectively. The results showed that the virosomal delivery system greatly potentiate immune responses in animals. All mice immunized with the RSV-F/IRIV + HLT developed a mucosal IgA response and a high level of serum IgG. A balanced Th1/Th2 cytokine profile was observed in mice immunized with RSV-F/IRIV + HLT, while a Th2 response was observed in mice immunized with RSV-F + HLT. Histological analysis of lung tissue of RSV challenged mice did not reveal a vaccine-enhanced pulmonary eosinophilia. These results show that i.n. immunization of BALB/c mice with RSV-F/IRIV in combination with HLT can be considered a promising approach for the development of an efficacious human vaccine. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.