Abstract

Nanosilicates are two-dimensional, charged nanomaterials with tunable surface chemistry that enable electrostatic interactions with proteins and nucleic acids. These properties make Laponite nanosilicate a promising platform for vaccine delivery, where coordinated antigen–adjuvant presentation and lymph node delivery are important for shaping immune responses. This thesis investigated nanosilicates as scaffolds for lysozyme-based antigen delivery and co-delivery with CpG.

The preparation method reduced the apparent size of the NS–Lys–CpG complex at pH 10, although neutralization to pH 7 promoted larger aggregate formation. In vivo IVIS imaging after footpad injection showed persistent Cy7-associated fluorescence at the injection site for up to three weeks but did not reveal clear NS-dependent retention differences or visible lymph node drainage. Flow cytometry provided a more sensitive readout, showing increased Cy5-positive live cells in the draining right popliteal lymph node compared with the contralateral control lymph node. Fluorescence tissue imaging further showed Cy5-associated signal with partial overlap with CD11c-positive regions. However, bulk germinal center B cell analysis did not show significant differences among treatment groups.

Together, these findings support nanosilicate as a structurally compatible antigen-delivery scaffold that promotes detectable lymph node-associated fluorescent signal and highlight the need for further formulation optimization and antigen-specific immune assays.

Committee Chair

Dr. Jai Rudra

Committee Members

Dr. Cory Berkland Dr. Nate Huebsch

Degree

Master of Science (MS)

Author's Department

Biomedical Engineering

Author's School

McKelvey School of Engineering

Document Type

Thesis

Date of Award

Summer 8-2026

Language

English (en)

Download

Included in

Biomaterials Commons

Share

COinS