The effect of aqueous extract of Xinjiang Artemisia rupestris L. (an influenza virus vaccine adjuvant) on enhancing immune responses and reducing antigen dose required for immunity

Abstract

Potent adjuvant can improve the effectiveness of vaccines and reduce the antigen doses required for initiating the protective immunity. In this study, we identified that aqueous extract of Artemisia rupestris L. (AEAR) could be employed as an efficient adjuvant for influenza virus vaccine (V) to enhance immune responses and reduce the antigen doses required for initiating immunity, without compromising the immune response. ICR mice were subcutaneously co-administrated with V combined with different concentrations of AEAR demonstrated that 300 μg AEAR could significantly improve hemagglutination inhibition (HI) and increase IgG antibody titers in serum (P<0.05) and the population of CD4+CD44+ and CD8+CD44+ (P<0.05). Next, 300 μg AEAR combined with different doses of V in vivo markedly increased HI and specific IgG antibody level(P<0.05). It also significantly increased the amount of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, CD4+CD44+ and CD8+CD44+ T cells (P<0.05), improved lymphocyte proliferation, the secretion of CD4+IL-4, CD4+IFN-γ and CD8+IFN-γ (P<0.05), and the killing efficacy of cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) (P<0.05). Furthermore, the combination increased the expression of major histocompatibility complex-II (MHC-II) and co-stimulatory molecules including CD40, CD80, and CD86 on dendritic cells (DCs), and downregulated the expression of CD25+Foxp3+Treg cells (P<0.05). No significant difference was observed between high-dose V and low-dose AEAR-V (10-fold lower) vaccination group (P>0.05), indicating a 10-fold reduction of antigen required for V vaccine administration. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that AEAR, as an adjuvant for influenza vaccine, could stimulate potent humoral and cellular immune responses and reduce the antigen dose required for effective vaccination, which were mediated by promoting DCs activation and repressing Treg expression.

Traditional Chinese Medicine: an effective treatment for 2019 novel coronavirus pneumonia (NCP)

“…Abundant Chinese medicinal formulae and Chinese patent medicine can effectively prevent healthy person from infection. As a number of studies have shown [12][13][14] , TCM can activate immune cells, improve phagocytosis and induce the production of cytokines. Ultimately, TCM enhance the immunocompetence of healthy person preventing infection.…”

The Adjuvant Effects on Vaccine and the Immunomodulatory Mechanisms of Polysaccharides From Traditional Chinese Medicine

“…Xinjiang ARPS can significantly enhance the level of influenza vaccine HI, specific IgG antibody, T cell subsets, lymphocyte proliferation, and cytokine secretion. At the same time, it can also significantly increase the level of dendritic cells (DCs) surface molecules, down-regulate the expression of Treg cells and enhance CTL responses ( Zhang et al, 2017a ). Xinjiang ARPS can also significantly increase the level of Foot-and-mouth Disease Vaccines (FMDV) IgG antibody, IgG 1 and IgG 2a subtypes, it has immune synergistic effect on commercial adjuvants of FMDV and long-term protective effect.…”

The Effects of Artemisia Plant and Its Components Against Respiratory Viruses Like Influenza and Their Mechanisms of Action

“…It is used to treat colds in folk medicine (32). Zhang et al (33) showed that the aqueous extract of A. rupestris could be an efficient adjuvant for influenza virus vaccines to boost immune responses and reduce the antigen doses required for triggering the immune system (33).…”