Assessment of the antigen-specific antibody response induced by mucosal administration of a GnRH conjugate entrapped in lipid nanoparticles

Vaccines administered parenterally have been developed against gonadotrophin releasing hormone (GnRH) for anti-fertility and anti-cancer purposes. The aim of this study was to demonstrate whether mucosal delivery using GnRH immunogens entrapped in lipid nanoparticles (LNP) could induce anti-GnRH antibody titres. Immunogens consisting of KLH (keyhole limpet haemocyanin) conjugated to either GnRH-I or GnRH-III analogues were entrapped in LNP. Loaded non-ionic surfactant vesicles (NISV) were administered subcutaneously, while nasal delivery was achieved using NISV in xanthan gum and oral delivery using NISV containing deoxycholate (bilosomes). NISV and bilosomes had similar properties: they were spherical, in the nanometre size range, with a slightly negative zeta potential and surface properties that changed with protein loading and inclusion of xanthan gum. Following immunisation in female BALB/c mice, systemic antibody responses were similar for both GnRH-I and GnRH-III immunisation. Only nasal delivery proved to be successful in terms of producing systemic and mucosal antibodies.