Human immune responses to a novel norwalk virus vaccine delivered in transgenic potatoes.
A new approach for delivering vaccine antigens is the use of inexpensive, plentiful, plant-based oral vaccines. Norwalk virus capsid protein (NVCP), assembled into virus-like particles, was used as a test antigen, to determine whether immune responses could be generated in volunteers who ingested transgenic potatoes. Twenty-four healthy adult volunteers received 2 or 3 doses of transgenic potato (n=20) or 3 doses of wild-type potato (n=4). Each dose consisted of 150 g of raw, peeled, diced potato that contained 215-751 microgram of NVCP. Nineteen (95%) of 20 volunteers who ingested transgenic potatoes developed significant increases in the numbers of specific IgA antibody-secreting cells. Four (20%) of 20 volunteers developed specific serum IgG, and 6 (30%) of 20 volunteers developed specific stool IgA. Overall, 19 of 20 volunteers developed an immune response of some kind, although the level of serum antibody increases was modest.
Tacket
C O
CO
Center for Vaccine Development, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA. ctacket@medicine.umaryland.edu
Mason
H S
HS
Losonsky
G
G
Estes
M K
MK
Levine
M M
MM
Arntzen
C J
CJ
D000818:Animals; D002213:Capsid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000097:blood; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D007313:Insecta; D009663:Norwalk virus / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D011198:Solanum tuberosum / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000276:immunology; D014765:Viral Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000276:immunology*; D019065:Virus Assembly
D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic; D014765:Viral Vaccines