Edible vaccines: alternatives to conventional immunization.
2003
Rowlandson, K. | Tackaberry, E.
Increased numbers of new pathogenic infections and the development of antibiotic resistance to many old pathogens have forced us to focus on prevention, rather than treatment, of infectious diseases. Widespread vaccination has therefore become a major target for many countries. However, numerous countries do not have adequate access to vaccines that are regularly administered in developed countries. As well, there are many pathogens to which there are currently no vaccines available. One of the many new technologies/approaches for addressing these needs is the production of subunit vaccines in transgenic, edible plants, which enable oral vaccine delivery. A variety of plants have now been used as hosts for vaccines, still at the experimental stage, including tobacco, potatoes, carrots, rice, and tomatoes. The main goal of an oral vaccine is the induction of a mucosal immune response and a subsequent systemic immune response. By stimulating a strong mucosal immune response, edible vaccines may provide effective immunity against pathogens that invade both mucosal and systemic sites. Immunization studies with plant-derived subunit vaccines have demonstrated that plants are able to produce recombinant proteins that retain antigenic and immunogenic properties. Although many issues and concerns still remain regarding the safety and efficacy of edible vaccines in humans, current data indicate that edible vaccines are indeed a promising option for the future.
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