Modulation of oral vaccine efficacy by the gut microbiota

Abstract Oral vaccines are potential options for preventing global pandemics because of their ability to elicit systemic and mucosal immunity and the high degree of compliance among individuals for oral vaccines. Nevertheless, oral vaccine efficacy is insufficient, and there is heterogeneity in the...

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Main Authors: Yingying Hou, Jinqi Li, Yue Wu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-08-01
Series:npj Vaccines
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41541-025-01240-8
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author Yingying Hou
Jinqi Li
Yue Wu
author_facet Yingying Hou
Jinqi Li
Yue Wu
author_sort Yingying Hou
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Oral vaccines are potential options for preventing global pandemics because of their ability to elicit systemic and mucosal immunity and the high degree of compliance among individuals for oral vaccines. Nevertheless, oral vaccine efficacy is insufficient, and there is heterogeneity in the vaccine response among individuals, which may be attributed to the complex network of interactions in the gastrointestinal tract. An increasing amount of evidence suggests that the composition and function of the gut microbiota are essential factors modulating the efficacy of oral vaccines. Deepening our understanding of the implications and potential mechanisms of the interaction between oral vaccines and the gut microbiota could inspire the design of effective oral delivery methods. Here, the effects of the gut microbiota on the mucosal immune system and oral vaccine efficacy are reviewed. Examples and implications for modulating the gut microbiota are also summarized. We hope that this review inspires a focus on oral vaccines and highlights pivotal crosstalk between the gut microbiota and vaccine effectiveness.
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spelling doaj-art-1fbd9593469b4e4da3ef7e18646ca1f22025-08-20T03:42:34ZengNature Portfolionpj Vaccines2059-01052025-08-0110111410.1038/s41541-025-01240-8Modulation of oral vaccine efficacy by the gut microbiotaYingying Hou0Jinqi Li1Yue Wu2Department of Pharmacy, Personalized Drug Therapy Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences & Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of ChinaDepartment of Pharmacy, Personalized Drug Therapy Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences & Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of ChinaDepartment of Pharmacy, Personalized Drug Therapy Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences & Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of ChinaAbstract Oral vaccines are potential options for preventing global pandemics because of their ability to elicit systemic and mucosal immunity and the high degree of compliance among individuals for oral vaccines. Nevertheless, oral vaccine efficacy is insufficient, and there is heterogeneity in the vaccine response among individuals, which may be attributed to the complex network of interactions in the gastrointestinal tract. An increasing amount of evidence suggests that the composition and function of the gut microbiota are essential factors modulating the efficacy of oral vaccines. Deepening our understanding of the implications and potential mechanisms of the interaction between oral vaccines and the gut microbiota could inspire the design of effective oral delivery methods. Here, the effects of the gut microbiota on the mucosal immune system and oral vaccine efficacy are reviewed. Examples and implications for modulating the gut microbiota are also summarized. We hope that this review inspires a focus on oral vaccines and highlights pivotal crosstalk between the gut microbiota and vaccine effectiveness.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41541-025-01240-8
spellingShingle Yingying Hou
Jinqi Li
Yue Wu
Modulation of oral vaccine efficacy by the gut microbiota
npj Vaccines
title Modulation of oral vaccine efficacy by the gut microbiota
title_full Modulation of oral vaccine efficacy by the gut microbiota
title_fullStr Modulation of oral vaccine efficacy by the gut microbiota
title_full_unstemmed Modulation of oral vaccine efficacy by the gut microbiota
title_short Modulation of oral vaccine efficacy by the gut microbiota
title_sort modulation of oral vaccine efficacy by the gut microbiota
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41541-025-01240-8
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AT jinqili modulationoforalvaccineefficacybythegutmicrobiota
AT yuewu modulationoforalvaccineefficacybythegutmicrobiota