Towards an understanding of the adjuvant action of aluminium

Nat Rev Immunol. 2009 Apr;9(4):287-93. doi: 10.1038/nri2510.

Abstract

The efficacy of vaccines depends on the presence of an adjuvant in conjunction with the antigen. Of these adjuvants, the ones that contain aluminium, which were first discovered empirically in 1926, are currently the most widely used. However, a detailed understanding of their mechanism of action has only started to be revealed. In this Timeline article, we briefly describe the initial discovery of aluminium adjuvants and discuss historically important advances. We also summarize recent progress in the field and discuss their implications and the remaining questions on how these adjuvants work.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adjuvants, Immunologic*
  • Adsorption / immunology
  • Aluminum / immunology*
  • Aluminum Compounds / chemistry
  • Aluminum Compounds / immunology
  • Aluminum Compounds / pharmacology
  • Animals
  • Antibody Formation / drug effects
  • Antibody Formation / immunology
  • Antigen-Presenting Cells / drug effects
  • Antigen-Presenting Cells / immunology
  • Antigens / chemistry
  • Antigens / immunology
  • Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins
  • CARD Signaling Adaptor Proteins
  • Carrier Proteins / physiology
  • Caspase 1 / physiology
  • Cytoskeletal Proteins / physiology
  • Humans
  • Immunity, Cellular / drug effects
  • Immunity, Cellular / immunology
  • Immunity, Innate / drug effects
  • Immunity, Innate / immunology
  • Mice
  • Models, Immunological
  • NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein

Substances

  • Adjuvants, Immunologic
  • Aluminum Compounds
  • Antigens
  • Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins
  • CARD Signaling Adaptor Proteins
  • Carrier Proteins
  • Cytoskeletal Proteins
  • NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein
  • NLRP3 protein, human
  • Nlrp3 protein, mouse
  • PYCARD protein, human
  • Pycard protein, mouse
  • Aluminum
  • Caspase 1