Development of effective protein delivery system to mucosa-associated lymphoid tissues (MALT) with M cell-targeting technology

Abstract

In mucosa-associated lymphoid tissues (MALT), such as Peyer's patches and nasopharynx-associated lymphoid tissues, all types of immunocyte including dendritic cells, T cells, B cells and others are present and form the mucosal immune network against invasion of luminal pathogenic bacteria or virus. M cells are known to be antigen-sampling cells located in the follicle-associated epithelium (FAE) of MALT and play an important role as gateway of mucosal epithelial barrier. In this review, we shed light on the recent progress of protein antigen delivery system to MALT with M cell-targeting technology for the creation of new generation of mucosal vaccine. © 2008, THE JAPAN SOCIETY OF DRUG DELIVERY SYSTEM. All rights reserved.