The potential utility of liposomes for vaccines.

Introduction: Species of the genus are important global pathogens. (gonococcus) causes the sexually transmitted disease gonorrhea and (meningococcus) causes meningitis and sepsis. Liposomes are self-assembled spheres of phospholipid bilayers enclosing a central aqueous space, and they have attracted much interest and use as a delivery vehicle for vaccine antigens.

Areas Covered: A brief background on infections and the success of licensed meningococcal vaccines are provided. The absence of a gonococcal vaccine is highlighted. The use of liposomes for delivering antigens and adjuvants, for the purposes of generating specific immune responses, is reviewed. The use of other lipid-based systems for antigen and adjuvant delivery is examined briefly.

Expert Opinion: With renewed interest in developing a gonococcal vaccine, liposomes remain an attractive option for delivering antigens. The discipline of nanotechnology provides additional nanoparticle-based options for gonococcal vaccine development. Future work would be needed to tailor the composition of liposomes and other nanoparticles to the specific vaccine antigen(s), in order to generate optimal anti-gonococcal immune responses. The potential use of liposomes and other nanoparticles to deliver anti-gonococcal compounds to treat infections also should be explored further.