O-2′-Hydroxypropyltrimethyl ammonium chloride chitosan nanoparticles for the delivery of live Newcastle disease vaccine

A novel complex chitosan derivative, O-2′-hydroxypropyltrimethyl ammonium chloride chitosan (O-2′-HACC), was synthesized and used to make nanoparticles as a delivery vehicle for live attenuated Newcastle disease vaccine. We found that O-2′-HACC had high antimicrobial activity, low toxicity, and a high safety level. Newcastle disease virus (NDV) was then encapsulated in the O-2′-HACC nanoparticles (NDV/La Sota-O-2′-HACC-NPs) by the ionic crosslinking method, and the properties of the resulting nanoparticles were determined by transmission electron microscopy, Zeta potential analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction. NDV/La Sota-O-2′-HACC-NPs had regular spherical morphologies and high stability, with an encapsulation efficiency of 95.68 ± 2.2% and a loading capacity of 58.75 ± 4.03%. An in vitro release assay indicated that release of NDV from NDV/La Sota-O-2′-HACC-NPs occurred slowly. Specific pathogen-free chickens immunized with NDV/La Sota-O-2′-HACC-NPs intranasally had much stronger cellular, humoral and mucosal immune responses than did those immunized intramuscularly or with live attenuated Newcastle disease vaccine. NDV/La Sota-O-2′-HACC-NPs are a novel drug delivery carrier with immense potential in medical applications.