The larger size particles (0.5–5 μm) are uptaken by macropinocytosis, while particles greater than 0.5 μm are predominantly taken up by phagocytosis, and primarily ingested by macrophages [28]. The crystal size of sHZ can be adjusted by the modification of synthetic method, and smaller size sHZ (diameter range; 50 nm–1 μm, peak of the frequency distribution; 50–200 nm) exhibits higher adjuvanticity than larger size sHZ (>5 μm) in mice when immunized with ovalbumin antigen [4]. This size-dependent adjuvanticity of sHZ is considered as the result from the manner of uptake of APCs. In this study, we demonstrated

the potent adjuvanticity of sHZ, which contains approximately 1–2 μm particles. In the present study, we demonstrated that sHZ could enhance the protective efficacy of SV against influenza virus check details in ferrets without causing a pyrogenic reaction. The findings of

this study indicate that sHZ is safe and has great potential for use as an adjuvant for human SV. This study was financially supported by Shionogi & Co., Ltd. a contrated collaboration between NIBIO and Shionogi & Co., Ltd. M.O., M. Kitano, K.T., T.H., M. Kobayashi, A.S., and K.J.I. designed research; M.O., M. Kitano, K.T., T.H., and M. Kobayashi performed research; M.O., M. Kitano, and K.T. analyzed data; M.O. drafted the article; T.H., C.C. and K.J.I. revised the article critically for important intellectual Stem Cell Compound Library purchase content. CC and KJI hold a patent related to synthetic hemozoin. The other authors declare no conflict of interest. We thank Tetsuo Kase from the Osaka Prefectural Institute of Public Health for providing B/Osaka/32/2009 and Makoto Kodama from Shionogi & Co., Ltd. for help

with the animal care and experiments. “
“Streptococcus pneumoniae, a leading cause of bacterial pneumonia and invasive disease, is responsible for approximately 11% of mortality in children under 5 years old worldwide [1] and [2]. Currently available pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs) contain capsular polysaccharides of the most prevalent pneumococcal serotypes, conjugated to a carrier protein (PS-conjugates). Widespread use of these PCVs has significantly decreased over the incidence of pneumococcal disease [3], [4] and [5]. However, shifts in serotype epidemiology have been noted [4], [5] and [6]. Additionally, an increase in serotype 19A invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) has been observed in some countries, partly due to multiple antibiotic resistance of this serotype [7], [8] and [9] and no effective control after the introduction of a 7-valent PCV. A substantial disease burden thus remained, necessitating the development of new vaccines that could provide broader protection.