Vaccine compositions including chitosan for intranasal administration and use thereof

1. A vaccine composition for intranasal administration comprising

an antigen selected from the group consisting of a polysaccharide, a lipopolysaccharide, a polynucleotide, a whole cell, and a virus selected from the group consisting of inactivated whole viruses, disrupted viruses and live attenuated viruses,

admixed with an effective adjuvant amount of a chitosan, wherein the chitosan has a molecular weight in a range of 10 kD to 500 kD, and the chitosan is a chitin that is more than 40% deacetylated.

2. The vaccine composition of claim 1 , wherein the antigen is a capsular polysaccharide of meningococci.

3. The vaccine composition of claim 1 , wherein the antigen is a shigella polysaccharide.

4. The vaccine composition of claim 1 , wherein the antigen is one that is delivered for an induction of tolerance.

5. The vaccine composition of claim 1 , wherein the antigen is not an influenza virus antigen.

6. The vaccine composition of claim 1 , wherein the antigen is present in purified form.

7. The vaccine composition of claim 1 , wherein the chitosan is present in a range of 0.02% to 10% by weight of the composition.

8. The vaccine composition of claim 1 , wherein the chitosan is present in a range of 0.1% to 5% by weight of the composition.

9. The vaccine composition of claim 1 , wherein the chitosan is present in a range of 0.25% to 2% by weight of the composition.

10. The vaccine composition of claim 1 , wherein the chitosan is a water-soluble chitosan.

11. The vaccine composition of claim 1 , wherein the chitin is 50% to 90% deacetylated.

12. The vaccine composition of claim 1 , wherein the molecular weight of the chitosan is in a range of 50 kD to 300 kD.

13. The vaccine composition of claim 1 , wherein the molecular weight of the chitosan is in a range of 100 kD to 300 kD.

14. The vaccine composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition has a pH in a range of 5.5 to 6.5.

15. The vaccine composition of claim 14 , wherein the pH is about 6.

16. The vaccine composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition is incorporated into a formulation that is selected from the group consisting of a dry powder and microspheres.

17. A vaccine composition for intranasal administration comprising a deoxyribonucleic acid molecule that encodes an antigen admixed with an effective adjuvant amount of a chitosan, wherein the chitosan has a molecular weight in a range of 10 kD to 500 kD, and the chitosan is a chitin that is more than 40% deacetylated.

18. A method of enhancing an IgA mucosal immune response comprising intranasally administering to a mammal a vaccine composition comprising

an antigen selected from the group consisting of a polysaccharide, a lipopolysaccharide, a polynucleotide, a whole cell, and a virus selected from the group consisting of inactivated whole viruses, disrupted viruses and live attenuated viruses, and

an effective adjuvant amount of a chitosan having a molecular weight in a range of 10 kD to 500 kD, and the chitosan is a chitin that is more than 40% deacetylated.

19. A method of enhancing an IgA mucosal immune response comprising intranasally administering to a mammal a vaccine composition comprising a deoxyribonucleic acid molecule that encodes an antigen and an effective adjuvant amount of a chitosan having a molecular weight in the range of 10 kD to 500 kD, and the chitosan is a chitin that is more than 40% deacetylated.

20. A method of enhancing an IgG systemic immune response comprising intranasally administering to a mammal a vaccine composition comprising

an antigen selected from the group consisting of a polysaccharide, a lipopolysaccharide, a polynucleotide, a whole cell, and a virus selected from the group consisting of inactivated whole viruses, disrupted viruses and live attenuated viruses, and

an effective adjuvant amount of a chitosan having a molecular weight in the range of 10 kD to 500 kD, and the chitosan is a chitin that is more than 40% deacetylated.

21. A method of enhancing an IgG systemic immune response comprising intranasally administering to a mammal a vaccine composition a deoxyribonucleic acid molecule that encodes an antigen and an effective adjuvant amount of a chitosan having a molecular weight in the range of 10 kD to 500 kD, and the chitosan is a chitin that is more than 40% deacetylated.