Experimental and molecular predictions of the adjuvanticity of snail mucin on hepatitis B vaccine in albino mice

Abstract

Although aluminum-containing adjuvants are widely used in human vaccination due to their excellent safety profile, they exhibit low effectiveness with many recombinant antigens. This study investigated the adjuvanticity of snail mucin with recombinant Hepatitis B Vaccine (rHBsAg). Twenty-five (25) female mice distributed unbiasedly into 5 groups were used in the study and were administered different rHBsAg/Mucin formulation at 7 days intervals. Blood samples were collected a day following the administration for analysis. The results of liver function and body weight analysis were indications that snail mucin had no adverse effect on the mice. The treatment group (administer mucin and rHBsAg) showed significantly (P<0.05) higher mean titres of anti-HBsAg antibodies when compared with the negative controls and the positive control administered with two doses of rHBsAg after the boost doses (day 28). Furthermore, a comparable immune response to positive control administered with three doses rHBaAG was recorded. In silico prediction, studies of the protein-protein interaction of a homology modelled snail mucus protein and HBsAg gave an indication of enhanced HBV antigen-antibody interaction. Therefore, this study has shown that snail mucin possesses some adjuvant properties and enhances immune response towards rHBsAg vaccine. However, there is a need for further molecular dynamics studies to understand its mechanism of action.

Could eggshell membrane be an adjuvant for recombinant Hepatitis B vaccine?: A preliminary investigation

“…Vaccination is a preparatory strategy to defend the body against the onset of HBV infections. It has been widely accepted as the most effective measure and approach to decrease the prevalence of HBV infection globally [ 4 ]. Vaccines are usually common features (antigenic pattern) among several variants of a particular infectious agent that primes the body's immune system for a prompt response against the onset of such infection.…”

“…Natural products from plant and animal origin could be another viable source of novel adjuvants with improved immune-stimulatory activities [ 7 , 11 – 13 ]. We have reported in our previous studies the effect of snail mucin [ 4 ], Moringa Oleifera [ 14 ], chitin [ 5 ], and others as immunomodulatory agents [ 15 – 19 ]. In this study, we aim to investigate the immunological activities of the eggshell membrane as a potential adjuvant for HBV.…”