Vaccine development : adjuvant, specific immune response

Adjuvants are sensed by innate immune receptors (e.g. Toll-like receptors (TLR), NOD-like receptors NLR)). In whole blood assays, adjuvants induce a rapid release of proinflammatory cytokines reflecting their potency. In vaccinated subjects, the incubation of whole blood with specific antigens results in the release of cytokines (IFNγ, IL2) reflecting the extent of immunization.