Aminated nanomicelles as a designer vaccine adjuvant to trigger inflammasomes and multiple arms of the innate immune response in lymph nodes

In this study, we suggest a designer vaccine adjuvant that can mimic the drainage of pathogens into lymph nodes and activate innate immune response in lymph nodes. By the amination of multivalent carboxyl groups in poly-(γ-glutamic acid) (γ-PGA) nanomicelles, the size was reduced for rapid entry into lymphatic vessels, and the immunologically inert nanomicelles were turned into potential activators of inflammasomes. Aminated γ-PGA nanomicelles (aPNMs) induced NLRP3 inflammasome activation and the subsequent release of proinflammatory IL-1β. The NLRP3-dependent inflammasome induction mechanism was confirmed through enzyme (cathepsin B and caspase-1) inhibitors and NLRP3 knockout mice model. After the aPNMs were combined with a clinically evaluated TLR3 agonist, polyinosinic–polycytidylic acid sodium salt (aPNM-IC), they triggered multiple arms of the innate immune response, including the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines by both inflammasomes and an inflammasome-independent pathway and the included type I interferons.