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QS-21 Adjuvant: Laboratory-Scale Purification Method and Formulation Into Liposomes

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Vaccine Adjuvants

Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 1494))

Abstract

QS-21, a saponin extracted from the tree Quillaja saponaria Molina, is a vaccine adjuvant which has been shown to elicit robust antibody and cell-mediated immune responses in a variety of preclinical and clinical studies [1]. Its purification from the natural source is a lengthy and difficult process. The commercially available saponin mixture Quil-A® is a fraction of the bark extract containing a variety of saponins, including QS-21. In order to facilitate access to QS-21 at laboratory-scale amounts, we propose here a method of purification of QS-21 starting from Quil-A®. In addition, we describe a protocol to appropriately formulate QS-21 into cholesterol-containing, neutral liposomes which are known to decrease QS-21’s hemolytic activity while retaining the adjuvant effect. Methods for the physicochemical characterization of purified QS-21 and of the QS-21/liposome formulations are also described.

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Acknowledgment

The authors thank Maude Marti Favre, Virginie Jakob, and Geraldine Frank for their excellent technical assistance.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Vaccine Formulation Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, University of Lausanne, Chemin des Boveresses 155, 1066, Epalinges, Switzerland

    Livia Brunner, Christophe Barnier-Quer & Nicolas Collin

Authors
  1. Livia Brunner
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  2. Christophe Barnier-Quer
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  3. Nicolas Collin
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Livia Brunner .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Infectious Disease Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA

    Christopher B. Fox

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Brunner, L., Barnier-Quer, C., Collin, N. (2017). QS-21 Adjuvant: Laboratory-Scale Purification Method and Formulation Into Liposomes. In: Fox, C. (eds) Vaccine Adjuvants. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 1494. Humana Press, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-6445-1_5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-6445-1_5

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  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4939-6443-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4939-6445-1

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