Protection against tetanus toxin using a plant-based vaccine.
Plant-expressed vaccines may provide a unique opportunity for generating anti-pathogen immunity, especially in countries where cold storage is lacking. In the following study, we show that soluble protein from tobacco leaves expressing fragment C of tetanus toxin protected mice against a lethal tetanus toxin challenge. More importantly, we show that a single intranasal (i.n.) vaccination was as efficient as oral delivery, inducing high levels of activated CD4(+) T cells and anti-toxin antibody. Unlike the oral route, i.n. delivery did not require the presence of adjuvant (cholera toxin). Indeed, addition of cholera toxin induced bystander immune responses to plant proteins as well. This is the first study documenting protective immunity by a single i.n. dose of plant vaccine. Plant-based vaccines are promising because they are more heat stable, are easy to produce, cheap and do not require needles.
Tregoning
John S
JS
Department of Biological Sciences and Centre for Molecular Microbiology and Infection, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London, UK. john.tregoning@imperial.ac.uk
Clare
Simon
S
Bowe
Frances
F
Edwards
Lorna
L
Fairweather
Neil
N
Qazi
Omar
O
Nixon
Peter J
PJ
Maliga
Pal
P
Dougan
Gordon
G
Hussell
Tracy
T
D000818:Animals; D051379:Mice; D013744:Tetanus Toxin / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D014026:Nicotiana / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D014612:Vaccines
D013744:Tetanus Toxin; D014612:Vaccines