Transgenic plant vaccine

Article By:

Langridge, William H. R. Center for Molecular Biology and Gene Therapy, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, California.

Last reviewed:June 2021

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1036/1097-8542.900134

An edible vaccine generated in plants via genetic engineering. To increase the rate and accessibility of vaccination for the rapidly increasing world population, researchers are exploring the use of edible plants for the synthesis and delivery of oral vaccines against infectious and autoimmune diseases. In other words, plants can be used as "bioreactors" to generate commercial vaccines. Transgenic plant vaccines, or plant-based vaccines, are produced by genetic techniques that introduce antigens (proteins or polysaccharides found on the surface of pathogens that induce an immune response in the body) into selected plants (see illustration). When a plant-based vaccine has been consumed, the host initiates a mucosal immune response against the antigen synthesized in the plant and becomes immune to the pathogen from which the antigen was taken. Thus, these vaccines would offer protection against a growing number of human and animal diseases. See also: Antigen; Autoimmunity; Biotechnology; Genetic engineering; Genetically engineered plant; Genetically modified crop; Immunology; Infectious disease; Pathogen; Plant; Vaccination

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