AFM-LDH · Atomic force microscopy-based exploration of layered double hydroxide nanoparticles adjuvant mechanism

Atomic force microscopy-based exploration of layered double hydroxide nanoparticles adjuvant mechanism

For more than a century, aluminium-based adjuvants (collectively known as Alum) have been essential components of many licensed vaccines. Their long clinical history and safety profile have made them a cornerstone of modern immunisation programmes. However, traditional Alum adjuvants primarily stimulate antibody-mediated immunity and have limited capacity to induce robust CD8⁺ T-cell responses, which are crucial for protection against intracellular pathogens and for effective cancer immunotherapy. This limitation creates an important gap in current vaccine technology, particularly in a global health landscape increasingly shaped by emerging infectious diseases and the growing need for personalised cancer treatments. Recent advances in nanotechnology have led to the development of layered double hydroxide (LDH) nano-aluminium adjuvants (NA), engineered from clinically used aluminium hydroxide and magnesium hydroxide materials. These next-generation adjuvants show great promise: they can stimulate both strong antibody responses and potent CD8⁺ T-cell immunity. In addition to their role in vaccine formulations, NA materials can function as immunomodulators capable of reshaping the tumour microenvironment and enhancing CD8⁺ T-cell activity, offering potential therapeutic value in oncology. Despite these encouraging findings, the fundamental relationship between the chemical composition of NA and their immunological behaviour remains poorly understood. This knowledge gap limits the rational design and optimisation of NA-based vaccines and immunotherapies. This project aims to address this challenge by applying advanced physicochemical and biological characterisation techniques to systematically investigate how specific chemical features of NA influence their immunomodulatory mechanisms. By elucidating the chemistry-immunology relationship, the project seeks to establish a scientific basis for designing more effective and predictable nano-aluminium adjuvants. The expected outcomes will contribute to the development of next-generation vaccines and immunotherapies with broader efficacy, potentially benefiting public health at large and supporting strategic priorities in infectious disease preparedness and cancer treatment.

Data: CORDIS, © European Union