Alum is the most widely used vaccine adjuvant, but its mechanism of action remains largely unknown. A recent study shows that alum interacts directly with membrane lipids on the surface of dendritic cells, triggering signaling cascades that promote CD4+ T cell activation and humoral immune responses (pages 479–487).
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M.L.M., E.d.G. and J.B.U. are employees of Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics.
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Mbow, M., De Gregorio, E. & Ulmer, J. Alum's adjuvant action: grease is the word. Nat Med 17, 415–416 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1038/nm0411-415
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nm0411-415
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