Abstract
This study aimed to evaluate the immune-enhancing efficacy and mechanism of liposome-Rh2 as a novel vaccine adjuvant. By using an integrated preparation strategy that combined ethanol injection with high-pressure homogenization, we successfully fabricated a stable liposome-Rh2 adjuvant. Structural characterization revealed a well-defined spherical architecture with uniform particle distribution (PDI < 0.2). Notably, this formulation demonstrated exceptional colloidal stability, maintaining a unimodal size distribution and a high encapsulation efficiency exceeding 96% throughout 60 weeks of storage. In vitro experiments indicated that liposome-Rh2 could enhance the phagocytic ability of DC2.4 cells and activate the NF-κB signaling pathway. In the in vivo assay, liposome-Rh2 significantly enhanced humoral immunity (represented by the OD value) and simultaneously promoted cellular immune responses (reflected by the proportions of CD3+ T cells and CD8+ T cells). Additionally, it enhanced the activation of macrophages and the homing of dendritic cells and significantly improved the MHC-I molecule presentation pathway. These results suggested that liposome-Rh2 has the potential to be a vaccine adjuvant.