After pioneering examples that we have already mentioned in the field of “edible
vaccines” (e.g. against hepatitis B), and others undertaken against human immunodeficiency virus (in lettuce, tobacco) and human papillomavirus (in tomato) as main
cases, stable transformation approaches (both nuclear and plastidial) are also currently being undertaken and evaluated in preclinical context to tackle highly relevant
sanitary problems such as those related to deadly pathogens like anthrax (in mustard
and tobacco) and Ebola virus (tobacco) (see Table 3).
Table 3 (continued)
Target protein
Host/expression
strategy
Functionality evaluation
Reference
HIV-1 envelope proteins
(Gag/Dgp41) VLPs
N. benthamiana/
transient
Induced Gag-specific serum
antibody and CD4 and CD8
T-cell responses in mice via
systemic (IP) and mucosal
(IN) immunizations
Kessans et al.
(2016)
Human papillomavirus
type 16 (HPV-16)
HPV-16L1
Tobacco/
transgenic (nuclear)
Detection of cell-mediated
and humoral immunities in
immunized mice via oral
administration
Hongli et al.
(2013)
HPV-16 E6 and E7 fusion
(HPV-16L1
E6/E7) VLP
Solanum
lycopersicum
(tomato)/transgenic
(nuclear)
Detection of persistent neutralizing antibodies and
57% tumour reduction in
immunized mice via oral
administration
MonroyGarcía et al.
(2014)
HPV-16 E7
N. benthamiana
(transient)
Detection of antibodies and
cell-mediated responses,
tumour reduction in immunized mice models via subcutaneous administration
Massa et al.
(2007);
Venuti et al.
(2009)
Influenza H1N1 HA from
A/California/04/09 strain
(HAC-VLPs)
N. benthamiana/
transient
Detection of serum HI antibody responses in immunized mice (IM)
Shoji et al.
(2013)
Influenza H3N2
nucleoprotein
Zea mays (maize)/
transgenic (nuclear)
Detection of humoral
immune responses in
immunized mice via oral
administration
Nahampun
et al. (2015)
Influenza H5N1 HA1
domain (HA1-MY)
N. benthamiana/
transient
Detection of serum HI antibody responses in immunized mice (IM)
Pua et al.
(2017)
Rabies virus glycoprotein
in fusion with
ricin toxin B chain
Solanum
lycopersicum
(tomato) hairy
roots/transgenic
(nuclear)
Detection of serum IgG and
Th2 lymphocyte responses
in immunized mice via
intra-mucosal
administration
Singh et al.
(2015)
Severe acute respiratory
syndrome coronavirus
(SARS-CoV) nucleocapsid (N) protein
N. benthamiana/
transient
Recognition of SARS
patient sera by purified N
protein
Demurtas
et al. (2016)
Engineering Plants for the Future: Farming with Value-Added Harvest
79
vaccines” (e.g. against hepatitis B), and others undertaken against human immunodeficiency virus (in lettuce, tobacco) and human papillomavirus (in tomato) as main
cases, stable transformation approaches (both nuclear and plastidial) are also currently being undertaken and evaluated in preclinical context to tackle highly relevant
sanitary problems such as those related to deadly pathogens like anthrax (in mustard
and tobacco) and Ebola virus (tobacco) (see Table 3).
Table 3 (continued)
Target protein
Host/expression
strategy
Functionality evaluation
Reference
HIV-1 envelope proteins
(Gag/Dgp41) VLPs
N. benthamiana/
transient
Induced Gag-specific serum
antibody and CD4 and CD8
T-cell responses in mice via
systemic (IP) and mucosal
(IN) immunizations
Kessans et al.
(2016)
Human papillomavirus
type 16 (HPV-16)
HPV-16L1
Tobacco/
transgenic (nuclear)
Detection of cell-mediated
and humoral immunities in
immunized mice via oral
administration
Hongli et al.
(2013)
HPV-16 E6 and E7 fusion
(HPV-16L1
E6/E7) VLP
Solanum
lycopersicum
(tomato)/transgenic
(nuclear)
Detection of persistent neutralizing antibodies and
57% tumour reduction in
immunized mice via oral
administration
MonroyGarcía et al.
(2014)
HPV-16 E7
N. benthamiana
(transient)
Detection of antibodies and
cell-mediated responses,
tumour reduction in immunized mice models via subcutaneous administration
Massa et al.
(2007);
Venuti et al.
(2009)
Influenza H1N1 HA from
A/California/04/09 strain
(HAC-VLPs)
N. benthamiana/
transient
Detection of serum HI antibody responses in immunized mice (IM)
Shoji et al.
(2013)
Influenza H3N2
nucleoprotein
Zea mays (maize)/
transgenic (nuclear)
Detection of humoral
immune responses in
immunized mice via oral
administration
Nahampun
et al. (2015)
Influenza H5N1 HA1
domain (HA1-MY)
N. benthamiana/
transient
Detection of serum HI antibody responses in immunized mice (IM)
Pua et al.
(2017)
Rabies virus glycoprotein
in fusion with
ricin toxin B chain
Solanum
lycopersicum
(tomato) hairy
roots/transgenic
(nuclear)
Detection of serum IgG and
Th2 lymphocyte responses
in immunized mice via
intra-mucosal
administration
Singh et al.
(2015)
Severe acute respiratory
syndrome coronavirus
(SARS-CoV) nucleocapsid (N) protein
N. benthamiana/
transient
Recognition of SARS
patient sera by purified N
protein
Demurtas
et al. (2016)
Engineering Plants for the Future: Farming with Value-Added Harvest
79