Yousefpour, P., et al. Modulation of antigen delivery and lymph node activation in nonhuman primates by saponin adjuvant saponin/monophosphoryl lipid A nanoparticle.

PNAS Nexus, 2024 Nov 25, 3(12): pgae529. PMID: 39677368.

This article emphasizes the significance of the saponin QS-21/monophosphoryl lipid A nanoparticles (SMNP) using an HIV Env trimer model Ag, in enhancing immune responses to vaccines significantly stronger than traditional adjuvants like aluminum hydroxide.

SMNP containing QS-21, a highly purified saponin derived from the Quillaja saponaria tree, facilitates rapid antigen accumulation in lymph nodes, leading to enhanced innate immune activation. The study demonstrates the adjuvanted vaccine elicits strong humoral immune responses, including high levels of germinal center B cells, neutralizing antibodies, and memory B cells in nonhuman primates.

These findings underscore the potential of saponin adjuvants in developing effective vaccines against highly mutable pathogens, such as HIV and influenza, by promoting broader and more durable humoral immunity.

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