Biological evaluation of N-2-hydroxypropyl trimethyl ammonium chloride chitosan as a carrier for the delivery of live Newcastle disease vaccine.

Mucosal immune system plays a very important role in antiviral immune response. We prepared Newcastle disease viruses (NDV) encapsulated in N-2-hydroxypropyl trimethyl ammonium chloride chitosan (N-2-HACC) nanoparticles (NDV/La Sota-N-2-HACC-NPs) by an ionic cross linking method, and assessed the potential of N-2-HACC-NPs as a mucosal immune delivery carrier. The properties of the nanoparticles were determined by transmission electron microscopy, Zeta potential and particle size analysis, encapsulation efficiency and loading capacity. NDV/La Sota-N-2-HACC-NPs have regular spherical morphologies and high stability; with 303.88±49.8nm mean diameter, 45.77±0.75mV Zeta potential, 94.26±0.42% encapsulation efficiency and 54.06±0.21% loading capacity. In vitro release assay indicated that the release of NDV from NDV/La Sota-N-2-HACC-NPs is slow. The NDV/La Sota-N-2-HACC-NPs have good biological characteristics, very low toxicity and high level of safety. Additionally, specific pathogen-free chickens immunized with NDV/La Sota-N-2-HACC-NPs showed much stronger cellular, humoral and mucosal immune responses than commercial attenuated live Newcastle disease vaccine, and NDV/La Sota-N-2-HACC-NPs reached the sustainable release effect. Our study here provides a foundation for the further development of mucosal vaccines and drugs, and the N-2-HACC-NPs should be a potential drug delivery carrier with immense potential in medical applications.