2. Academic Validation
  3. Liposome-mediated simvastatin in vaccine adjuvants: Its application and mechanism

Liposome-mediated simvastatin in vaccine adjuvants: Its application and mechanism

  • Mol Immunol. 2026 Feb:190:72-85. doi: 10.1016/j.molimm.2026.01.002.
Zhijie Chen 1,  Zhiwu Xia 2,  Liping Chen 3,  Qingqing Nie 1,  Wang Gong 1,  Wenqiang Cao 1,  Xue Wang 1,  Yuehong Zou 1,  Shuai Zhang 1,  Yuchen Yang 1,  Menghong Yang 1,  Jiaming Yang 1,  Yanna Liu 1,  Lehong Zhang 1,  Wenjie Fang 1,  Yixin Chen 1,  Junlong Zhao 4,  Ziyan Meng 5
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Key Laboratory of Green and Healthy Livestock and Poultry Breeding Technology of Jiangxi Education Institutes, School of Animal Science, Ganzhou polytechnic college, Ganzhou, Jiangxi Province 341000, China.
  • 2 National Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei Province 430070, China.
  • 3 Department of Reproductive Medicine, Ganzhou People's Hospital, Ganzhou, Jiangxi province 341199, China.
  • 4 National Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei Province 430070, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
  • 5 Key Laboratory of Green and Healthy Livestock and Poultry Breeding Technology of Jiangxi Education Institutes, School of Animal Science, Ganzhou polytechnic college, Ganzhou, Jiangxi Province 341000, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
PMID: 41539277 DOI: 10.1016/j.molimm.2026.01.002
Abstract

To mitigate the APC cytotoxicity associated with simvastatin (a promising Adjuvant candidate), we encapsulated this drug in liposomes to generate LIPO-SIM, and explored the potential and mechanism. Formulated via ethanol injection and rotary evaporation, liposome-SIM was characterized for appearance, ζ-average, PDI, zeta potential, and encapsulation efficiency. C57BL/6 J mice were immunized with LIPO-SIM + OVA (0/21-day schedule), euthanized on day 28 to evaluate immunogenicity, safety, and antigen presentation mechanisms. In vitro, DC2.4 cells stimulated with liposome-SIM underwent RNA-Seq, metabolomics, and western blotting to clarify Adjuvant mechanisms. Results showed liposome-SIM significantly increased anti-OVA IgG titers and cellular immunity, activated local lymph node macrophages/dendritic cells, and enhanced MHC-I presentation. In vitro, AMPK inhibition and NF-κB activation were observed. No organ toxicity or inflammatory storms were detected. Liposome-SIM enhances cellular immunity via the MHC-I pathway, with AMPK/NF-κB signaling as a potential key mechanism.

Keywords

Adjuvant; Liposome; NF-Kappa B signaling pathway; Simvastatin; Vaccine.

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