Transgenic plants as vaccine production systems.
Transgenic plants that express foreign proteins with industrial or pharmaceutical value represent an economical alternative to fermentation-based production systems. Specific vaccines have been produced in plants as a result of the transient or stable expression of foreign genes. It has recently been shown that genes encoding antigens of bacterial and viral pathogens can be expressed in plants in a form in which they retain native immunogenic properties. Transgenic potato tubers expressing a bacterial antigen stimulated humoral and mucosal immune responses when they were provided as food. These results provide 'proof of concept' for the use of plants as a vehicle to produce vaccines.
Mason
H S
HS
Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research, Ithaca, NY 14853-1801, USA.
Arntzen
C J
CJ
D000818:Animals; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D001709:Biotechnology; D006801:Humans; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified / Q000276:immunology*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D014765:Viral Vaccines / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics
D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D000956:Antigens, Viral; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic; D014765:Viral Vaccines