{
  "abstract": "Conventional needle-and-syringe vaccination is associated with pain, needle-related anxiety, the need for trained personnel, and logistical challenges related to vaccine distribution and storage. Microneedle (MN) technology has emerged as a minimally invasive strategy for transdermal delivery and as a platform for functional polymeric microdevices. In this study, polycaprolactone (PCL) microneedles coated with hydrophilic polymers were evaluated as a model platform for antigen delivery. Ex vivo assays using porcine ear skin were explored as a preliminary approach to assess antigen transport from polymer-coated PCL microneedles. However, antigen-specific quantification in the receptor compartment was limited by the lack of specificity of absorbance-based measurements in this biological matrix. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that PVA coating partially altered microneedle tip morphology, whereas optical coherence tomography (OCT) and optical microscopy confirmed that PVA20%-PCL-MNs maintained the ability to insert into porcine skin and generate visible insertion sites. Mechanical compression testing further showed that polymer-coated PCL-MNs maintained resistance to axial deformation under the tested conditions. PVA20%-PCL-MNs were also non-toxic and maintained high HEK293T cell viability after 24 h. Based on their preserved insertion capacity, mechanical robustness, ability to support DNP-KLH permeation, and preliminary cytocompatibility, PVA20%-PCL-MNs were evaluated in BALB/c mice using a two-dose prime-boost regimen. Although intraperitoneal immunization induced higher IgG levels, transdermal immunization with PVA20%-PCL-MNs promoted booster-dependent antigen-specific IgG responses. IgG2a/IgG1 ratio analysis indicated a predominantly IgG1-biased humoral profile, and splenocytes from mice immunized with PVA20%-PCL-MNs produced detectable levels of IFN-γ and IL-10 after in vitro stimulation. Together, these findings support PVA-coated PCL microneedles as a proof-of-concept polymeric microdevice platform for minimally invasive antigen delivery and immunogenicity assessment.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Laboratório de Desenvolvimento de Vacinas, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo 05503-900, SP, Brazil.",
    "Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas, Universidade Federal do ABC, Santo André 09210-580, SP, Brazil.",
    "Department of Biophysics, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo 04021-001, SP, Brazil."
  ],
  "article_type": "research article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 7,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Aline F Teixeira",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-1171-8312"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Leandro T Kochi"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Ana Carola De La Via Reis",
      "orcid": "0009-0009-3301-6213"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Jose E Rojas"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Daniele Ribeiro de Araujo",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-9289-4229"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Wendel A Alves",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-8394-2751"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Ana Lucia T O Nascimento",
      "orcid": "0000-0003-4851-0870"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/5x6cccvdv4e8j.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.3390/polym18192327",
  "fulltext_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13666606",
  "id": "5x6cccvdv4e8j",
  "issns": [
    "2073-4360"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42884958",
  "language": "eng",
  "licence": "CC-BY",
  "licence_label": "CC BY",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "openalex",
      "3003|Advancements in Transdermal Drug Delivery"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7214223179",
  "pdf_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13666606?pdf=render",
  "pmcid": "PMC13666606",
  "pmid": "42884958",
  "published": "2026-09-24",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/5x6cccvdv4e8j.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:19:16Z",
      "native_id": "MED:42884958",
      "source": "europepmc",
      "url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42884958"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "openalex:3003|Advancements in Transdermal Drug Delivery",
      "subfield": "pharmacology-toxicology"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Polyvinyl Alcohol-Coated Polycaprolactone Microneedles as Polymeric Microdevices for Transdermal Antigen Delivery and Immune Activation.",
  "title_text": "Polyvinyl Alcohol-Coated Polycaprolactone Microneedles as Polymeric Microdevices for Transdermal Antigen Delivery and Immune Activation.",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:19:16Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/5x6cccvdv4e8j",
  "venue": "Polymers",
  "versions": []
}