EDIBLE VACCINESEDIBLE VACCINES

CONTENTSCONTENTS IntroductionIntroduction What is Edible Vaccines?What is Edible Vaccines? Preparation & How to make Preparation & How to make an Edible Vaccine? an Edible Vaccine? How Edible Vaccines provide How Edible Vaccines provide protection?protection? Advantages of Edible VaccinesAdvantages of Edible Vaccines Disadvantages of Edible VaccinesDisadvantages of Edible Vaccines Risk in Edible Vaccines Risk in Edible Vaccines Limitations of Edible VaccinesLimitations of Edible Vaccines Future perspective for Edible Future perspective for Edible Vaccines Vaccines ConclusionConclusion References References

INTRODUCTIONINTRODUCTION

Vaccines have been revolutionary for the Vaccines have been revolutionary for the prevention of infectious disease.prevention of infectious disease.

Edible Vaccines are subunit vaccines that Edible Vaccines are subunit vaccines that introduce selected genes into the plants introduce selected genes into the plants and facilitate the production of encoded and facilitate the production of encoded protein.protein.

Main approaches for the production of Main approaches for the production of vaccines in plants:vaccines in plants:

1.1. Production of genetically modified plants.Production of genetically modified plants.2.2. To put the immunogenic genes into To put the immunogenic genes into

viruses that infects the plant.viruses that infects the plant.

What is Edible Vaccines?What is Edible Vaccines?

Charles Arntzen (who was the first to use the Charles Arntzen (who was the first to use the phrase “edible vaccine”), with Hugh Mason and phrase “edible vaccine”), with Hugh Mason and colleagues.colleagues.

Edible vaccines are mucosal-targeted vaccines Edible vaccines are mucosal-targeted vaccines that stimulate both the systematic and that stimulate both the systematic and mucosal immune responses.mucosal immune responses.

Study species include potatoes, tomatoes, Study species include potatoes, tomatoes, bananas, lettuces, rice, wheat, soybean, corn bananas, lettuces, rice, wheat, soybean, corn and legumes.and legumes.

Fruits, vegetables and leafy salads can be Fruits, vegetables and leafy salads can be consumed raw or partially processed.consumed raw or partially processed.

Why Banana?Why Banana? It’s a crop that’s grown It’s a crop that’s grown

throughout the developing throughout the developing world, in sub-tropics and world, in sub-tropics and even temperate areas in Asia, even temperate areas in Asia, India, Africa and America. India, Africa and America.

It’s the food that’s eaten It’s the food that’s eaten uncooked, whish is very uncooked, whish is very important so that the protein important so that the protein we put in is not destroyed by we put in is not destroyed by cooking. cooking.

It’s eaten by infants and It’s eaten by infants and children. children.

It’s often the first food that It’s often the first food that mother give to an infant.mother give to an infant.

Preparation Preparation Step 1. Removing the vaccine Step 1. Removing the vaccine

gene for insertion into a plasmid.gene for insertion into a plasmid.

Step 2. Getting the plasmid Step 2. Getting the plasmid ready for insertion of the ready for insertion of the vaccine gene.vaccine gene.

Step 3. Recombination of the Step 3. Recombination of the gene and the plasmid.gene and the plasmid.

Advantages of Edible Advantages of Edible VaccinesVaccines

Protects against rare diseases such as dengue Protects against rare diseases such as dengue fever, rabies, measles, cholera, foot, mouth fever, rabies, measles, cholera, foot, mouth disease and hepatitis B,C, and E. disease and hepatitis B,C, and E.

Easy for separation and purification of vaccines from plant materials & heat stable.

Effective prevention of pathogenic contamination from animal cells.

Good genetic stability & do not require cold chain Good genetic stability & do not require cold chain maintenance.maintenance.

Since syringes and needles not are used, the Since syringes and needles not are used, the chances of infection are also less.chances of infection are also less.

Production is very efficient and can be easily Production is very efficient and can be easily scaled. scaled.

Reduced need for medical personnel. Economical to mass produce and transport.

Disadvantages of Edible Disadvantages of Edible VaccinesVaccines

Plants are living organisms that changes, Plants are living organisms that changes, so the continuity of the vaccine production so the continuity of the vaccine production might not be guaranteed.might not be guaranteed.

If the vaccines were grown in fields or on If the vaccines were grown in fields or on trees, security would become a big issue.trees, security would become a big issue.

The dosage of the vaccines would be The dosage of the vaccines would be variable. variable.

The edible vaccines could be mistaken for The edible vaccines could be mistaken for regular fruits and consumed in larger regular fruits and consumed in larger amounts than might be safe.amounts than might be safe.

Risks in Edible VaccinesRisks in Edible Vaccines

Risks to the environment include gene Risks to the environment include gene transfer and exposure to antigens or transfer and exposure to antigens or selectable marker proteins. selectable marker proteins.

Risks to human health include oral Risks to human health include oral tolerance, allergenicity, inconsistent tolerance, allergenicity, inconsistent dosage, worker exposure and unintended dosage, worker exposure and unintended exposure to antigens or selectable exposure to antigens or selectable marker proteins in the food chain.marker proteins in the food chain.

Risks are controllable through Risks are controllable through appropriate regulatory measures at all appropriate regulatory measures at all stages of production and distribution of a stages of production and distribution of a potential plant-made vaccine. potential plant-made vaccine.

Limitations of Edible VaccinesLimitations of Edible Vaccines

Storage of edible vaccines Storage of edible vaccines Low yieldLow yieldConsistency of dosage from plant to Consistency of dosage from plant to

plant, fruit to fruit and generation to plant, fruit to fruit and generation to generation.generation.

Using potatoes or bananas may Using potatoes or bananas may require some processing such as require some processing such as smashing and liquoting.smashing and liquoting.

Future perspectives for Edible Future perspectives for Edible VaccinesVaccines

Must meet standards of purity, potency, Must meet standards of purity, potency, safety and efficacy for vaccines by the safety and efficacy for vaccines by the World Health Organization.World Health Organization.

Although still at an early stage of Although still at an early stage of development, the experimental results development, the experimental results strongly suggest that plant-derived edible strongly suggest that plant-derived edible vaccines are likely to become a reality, in vaccines are likely to become a reality, in the next few years.the next few years.

In future a great ability for the immunization In future a great ability for the immunization throughout the glob with the use of edible throughout the glob with the use of edible vaccine can be possible.vaccine can be possible.

ConclusionConclusion

Edible vaccines hold great promise as a Edible vaccines hold great promise as a cost-effective, easy to administer & cost-effective, easy to administer & socioculturally readily acceptable vaccine socioculturally readily acceptable vaccine delivery system. Edible vaccines have delivery system. Edible vaccines have passed the major hurdles in the path of an passed the major hurdles in the path of an emerging vaccine technology. Leads to the emerging vaccine technology. Leads to the future of safer and more effective future of safer and more effective immunization. Edible vaccines would immunization. Edible vaccines would overcome some of the difficulties overcome some of the difficulties associated with traditional vaccines.associated with traditional vaccines.

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Rathore M. S., Shekhawat N.S. (2007). Edible Vaccines: Go green with molecular Rathore M. S., Shekhawat N.S. (2007). Edible Vaccines: Go green with molecular farming, farming, Current Science, Current Science, Vol. 92, 1324.Vol. 92, 1324.

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Kirk D., Mcintosh K., Walmsley A., Peterson R. K. D. (2005).Risk analysis for plant-Kirk D., Mcintosh K., Walmsley A., Peterson R. K. D. (2005).Risk analysis for plant-made vaccines, made vaccines, Transgenic ResearchTransgenic Research, Vol. 14, 449-462., Vol. 14, 449-462.

Daniell H., Streatfield S. J., Wycoff K.(2001). Medical molecular farming: production of Daniell H., Streatfield S. J., Wycoff K.(2001). Medical molecular farming: production of antibodies, biopharmaceuticals and edible vaccines in plants, antibodies, biopharmaceuticals and edible vaccines in plants, Trends in Plant ScienceTrends in Plant Science, , Vol. 6, 219-226.Vol. 6, 219-226.

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