Research progress of aluminum adjuvant

Electrostatic interactions and phosphate exchange are the most important mechanisms for the adsorption of antigens onto aluminum-containing adjuvant. But the immunogenicity of the final vaccine is not proportional to the amount and the adsorption strength of antigens onto aluminum-containing adjuvant. The stability of aluminum adjuvant would be decreased while it is stored in room temperature. However, it does not affect immune enhancement activity. Usually, aluminum adjuvant should avoid exposure to elevated temperature in long time, and buffer salts such as phosphate could be used to protect vaccines containing aluminum adjuvant. Now the new formulation of aluminum-adjuvanted vaccine dry powder can increase the stability of vaccines. This review describes recent studies on the interaction between aluminum adjuvant and antigens, the stability of vaccines containing aluminum adjuvant and the development tendency of aluminum adjuvant.