The induction of systemic and mucosal immune responses to antigen-adjuvant compositions administered into the skin: alterations in the migratory properties of dendritic cells appears to be important for stimulating mucosal immunity.

The properties of various vaccine-adjuvant formulations that are capable of inducing both systemic and common mucosal immunity subsequent to their intradermal administration are described. Effective mucosal adjuvants, including bacterial toxins, chemical enhancers of cyclic AMP, and the active form of vitamin D3, all shared the ability to promote dendritic cell migration from the skin to Peyer's patches subsequent to antigen induced maturation. Our data suggests that skin dendritic cells may function as effective antigen presenting cells for the induction of mucosal immune responses, if microenvironmental conditions are appropriately manipulated subsequent to their stimulation by antigen.