title: Transgenic papaya: a useful platform for oral vaccines.
abstract: Transgenic papaya callus lines expressing the components of the S3Pvac vaccine constitute a stable platform to produce an oral vaccine against cysticercosis caused by Taenia solium or T. crassiceps. The development of effective delivery systems to cope with the reduced immunogenicity of new subunit vaccines is a priority in vaccinology. Herein, experimental evidence supporting a papaya-based platform to produce needle-free, recombinant, highly immunogenic vaccines is shown. Papaya (Carica papaya) callus lines were previously engineered by particle bombardment to express the three protective peptides of the S3Pvac anti-cysticercosis vaccine (KETc7, KETc12, KETc1). Calli were propagated in vitro, and a stable integration and expression of the target genes has been maintained, as confirmed by PCR, qRT-PCR, and HPLC. These results point papaya calli as a suitable platform for long-term transgenic expression of the vaccine peptides. The previously demonstrated protective immunogenic efficacy of S3Pvac-papaya orally administered to mice is herein confirmed in a wider dose-range and formulated with different delivery vehicles, adequate for oral vaccination. This protection is accompanied by an increase in anti-S3Pvac antibody titers and a delayed hypersensitivity response against the vaccine. A significant increase in CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocyte proliferation was induced in vitro by each vaccine peptide in mice immunized with the lowest dose of S3Pvac papaya (0.56 ng of the three peptides in 0.1 µg of papaya callus total protein per mouse). In pigs, the obliged intermediate host for Taenia solium, S3Pvac papaya was also immunogenic when orally administered in a two-log dose range. Vaccinated pigs significantly increased anti-vaccine antibodies and mononuclear cell proliferation. Overall, the oral immunogenicity of this stable S3Pvac-papaya vaccine in mice and pigs, not requiring additional adjuvants, supports the interest in papaya callus as a useful platform for plant-based vaccines.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. Universidad 3000, CP 04510, Mexico City, Mexico.
authors.forename: Gladis
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fragoso
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. Universidad 3000, CP 04510, Mexico City, Mexico.
authors.forename: Marisela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hernández
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. Universidad 3000, CP 04510, Mexico City, Mexico.
authors.forename: Jacquelynne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cervantes-Torres
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Medicina, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Calle 13 Sur 2702, CP 72420, Puebla, Mexico.
authors.forename: Rubén
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ramírez-Aquino
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. Universidad 3000, CP 04510, Mexico City, Mexico.
authors.forename: Héctor
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chapula
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. Universidad 3000, CP 04510, Mexico City, Mexico.
authors.forename: Nelly
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Villalobos
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. Universidad 3000, CP 04510, Mexico City, Mexico.
authors.forename: René
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Segura-Velázquez
authors.affiliation: Unidad Académica de Ciencias Químico Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma de Guerrero, Av. Lázaro Cárdenas s/n, CP 39087, Chilpancingo, GRO, Mexico.
authors.forename: Alfredo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Figueroa
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Morelos, Av. Universidad 1001, CP 62209, Cuernavaca, MOR, Mexico.
authors.forename: Iván
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Flores
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Medicina, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Calle 13 Sur 2702, CP 72420, Puebla, Mexico.
authors.forename: Herminio
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jiménez
authors.affiliation: Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía, SSA, Colonia la Fama, Delegación Tlalpan, Mexico, DF, Mexico.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Adalid
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Morelos, Av. Universidad 1001, CP 62209, Cuernavaca, MOR, Mexico.
authors.forename: Gabriela
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rosas
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Medicina, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Calle 13 Sur 2702, CP 72420, Puebla, Mexico.
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Galvez
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Medicina, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Calle 13 Sur 2702, CP 72420, Puebla, Mexico.
authors.forename: Elias
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pezzat
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Biofarmacéuticos Recombinantes, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, Av. Dr. Manuel Nava 6, 78210, San Luis Potosí, Mexico.
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Monreal-Escalante
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Biofarmacéuticos Recombinantes, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, Av. Dr. Manuel Nava 6, 78210, San Luis Potosí, Mexico.
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rosales-Mendoza
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Medicina, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Calle 13 Sur 2702, CP 72420, Puebla, Mexico.
authors.forename: Luis G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Vazquez
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. Universidad 3000, CP 04510, Mexico City, Mexico. edda@unam.mx.
authors.forename: Edda
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sciutto
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D000947:Antigens, Helminth / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*; D029441:Carica / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D003551:Cysticercosis / Q000469:parasitology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D007114:Immunization; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D013552:Swine; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000469:parasitology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D041201:Taenia solium / Q000276:immunology*; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000947:Antigens, Helminth; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic
keywords: Cysticercosis; Embryogenic callus; Oral vaccine; Taenia crassiceps; Taenia solium