Official Publication of the Society for Mucosal Immunology

The most potent mucosal adjuvants known are the bacterial enterotoxins cholera toxin (CT) and the closely related heat-labile toxin (LT) from Escherichia coli. Recombinant cholera toxin B-subunit (CTB) is a safe, protective component of a widely registered oral vaccine against cholera, which also protects against E. coli LT diarrheal disease. CTB has also proved to be a promising vector for linked foreign antigens administered mucosally which, depending on the nature of the linked antigen, may be used to stimulate either a mucosal IgA immune response or peripheral anti-inflammatory tolerance. Efforts have been made by various approaches to generate non-toxic CT or LT derivatives with retained adjuvant activity, and a novel, promising adjuvant has recently been developed based on CpG-DNA linked to CTB. Introduction Mucosal immunisation has attracted much interest both as a means to induce protective immunity against many infections, and conversely, as an approach to treat selected autoimmune and allergic diseases. Yet, only a handful of mucosal vaccines and no mucosal immunotherapies are licensed for human improve adaptive immunity against viral and other antigens. Finally, as an alternative to exogenously administered adjuvants is the potential to stimulate innate cells, possibly mast cells, to serve as a source of mucosal adjuvants (cytokines), addressed by Herman F. Staats, James B. Mclachlan, Christopher P. Shelburne, Justin P. Hart, Salvatore V. Pizzo, and Soman N. Abraham. From these three articles, it is evident that novel approaches are warranted to develop the next generation of mucosal adjuvants that will be suitable for human use. David W. Pascual, Ph.D. Montana State University Dean Befus, Ph.D. University of Alberta M u c o sa l Im m u n o lo g y U p d a te