Use of Staby(®) technology for development and production of DNA vaccines free of antibiotic resistance gene.
The appearance of new viruses and the cost of developing certain vaccines require that new vaccination strategies now have to be developed. DNA vaccination seems to be a particularly promising method. For this application, plasmid DNA is injected into the subject (man or animal). This plasmid DNA encodes an antigen that will be expressed by the cells of the subject. In addition to the antigen, the plasmid also encodes a resistance to an antibiotic, which is used during the construction and production steps of the plasmid. However, regulatory agencies (FDA, USDA and EMA) recommend to avoid the use of antibiotics resistance genes. Delphi Genetics developed the Staby(®) technology to replace the antibiotic-resistance gene by a selection system that relies on two bacterial genes. These genes are small in size (approximately 200 to 300 bases each) and consequently encode two small proteins. They are naturally present in the genomes of bacteria and on plasmids. The technology is already used successfully for production of recombinant proteins to achieve higher yields and without the need of antibiotics. In the field of DNA vaccines, we have now the first data validating the innocuousness of this Staby(®) technology for eukaryotic cells and the feasibility of an industrial production of an antibiotic-free DNA vaccine. Moreover, as a proof of concept, mice have been successfully vaccinated with our antibiotic-free DNA vaccine against a deadly disease, pseudorabies (induced by Suid herpesvirus-1).
University of Liège; Immunology-Vaccinology; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine; Liège, Belgium.
Anca
A
Reschner
Delphi Genetics SA; Gosselies, Belgium.
Sophie
S
Scohy
Université catholique de Louvain; Louvain Drug Research Institute; Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery; Brussels, Belgium.
Gaëlle
G
Vandermeulen
Eurogentec; Seraing, Belgium.
Marc
M
Daukandt
Delphi Genetics SA; Gosselies, Belgium.
Céline
C
Jacques
Delphi Genetics SA; Gosselies, Belgium.
Benjamin
B
Michel
Ghent University; Laboratory of Virology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine; Merelbeke, Belgium.
Hans
H
Nauwynck
Eurogentec; Seraing, Belgium.
Florence
F
Xhonneux
Université catholique de Louvain; Louvain Drug Research Institute; Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery; Brussels, Belgium.
Véronique
V
Préat
University of Liège; Immunology-Vaccinology; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine; Liège, Belgium.
Alain
A
Vanderplasschen
Delphi Genetics SA; Gosselies, Belgium.
Cédric
C
Szpirer
D000818:Animals; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D005260:Female; D042822:Genomic Instability; D011558:Herpesvirus 1, Suid / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008967:Molecular Biology / Q000379:methods*; D011557:Pseudorabies / Q000517:prevention & control; D022421:Pseudorabies Vaccines / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D012641:Selection, Genetic; D013678:Technology, Pharmaceutical / Q000379:methods*; D019444:Vaccines, DNA / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; C068355:CcdA protein, Bacteria; C068356:CcdB protein, Plasmid F; D022421:Pseudorabies Vaccines; D019444:Vaccines, DNA
Aujeszky’s disease; DNA vaccine; Staby; antibiotic-free; ccdA; ccdB; electrotransfer