Mechnikov Research Institute of Vaccines and Sera, Moscow, Russia
In the overwhelming majority of countries inactivated vaccines, which form mainly humoral immunity, are used for prevention of influenza. The objective of the study was to assess the combined effect of inactivated influenza vaccine and chitozan on cellular immunity in CBA line mice. Intramuscular administration of 2 doses (with 4 week interval) of inactivated influenza vaccine and chitozan resulted in increased cytotoxic activity of splenic NK cells against NK-sensitive cell line K562 as well as in increased proliferative activity of mononuclear leukocytes, and numbers of CD3 T-lymphocytes, NKT cells, B-lymphocytes in animals’ spleens. Combination of inactivated influenza vaccine with chitozan modulated the number MHC II-expressing cells by eliminating the increased reactivity of immune system cells as well as increased the number of MHC I-expressing cells. This point on the activation of cellular properties, which recognize intracellular pathogens, and thus on activation of both humoral and cellular factors of immune response. It can be proposed that inclusion of chitozan in the vaccine allows to modulate switching of the immune response from Th-2 to Th-1 type.
Zh. Mikrobiol. (Moscow), 2008, No. 6, P. 31—35