Arcon, N., et al. The immune-stimulating particle adjuvant (ISPA) as a versatile adjuvant platform for recombinant vaccines against chronic Toxoplasma gondii infection. Acta Trop, 2026 Jun 23, 280:108197. PMID: 42336023
This study is a pioneering evaluation of the Immune-Stimulating Particle Adjuvant (ISPA), a saponin-based particulate platform related to ISCOMATRIX, in enhancing recombinant subunit vaccines against chronic Toxoplasma gondii infection.
The researchers demonstrated that incorporating ISPA with parasite antigens such as GRA7, ROP2, and profilin significantly amplified both humoral and cellular immune responses, particularly Th1-biased responses characterized by increased IFN-γ production and activation of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, and achieved a substantial reduction of tissue cyst burden in the murine brain.
This work is unique because, to date, ISPA had shown promise in viral and other pathogen models but had not been explored against T. gondii or intracellular protozoa. Its significance lies in illustrating how a saponin-based adjuvant platform like ISPA can induce a balanced immune response necessary for tackling persistent intracellular pathogens, thereby providing a versatile and promising strategy for vaccine development in diseases where immune modulation and long-term protection are challenging.
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