Anna Modelska

A plant-derived edible vaccine against hepatitis B virus

The infectious hepatitis B virus represents 42 nm spherical double‐shelled particles. However, analysis of blood from hepatitis B virus carriers revealed the presence of smaller 22 nm particles consisting of a viral envelope surface protein. These particles are highly immunogenic and have been used in the design of hepatitis B virus vaccine produced in yeast. Upon expression in yeast, these proteins form virus‐like particles that are used for parenteral immunization. Therefore, the DNA fragment encoding hepatitis B virus surface antigen was introduced into Agrobacterium tumerifacience LBA4404 and used to obtain transgenic lupin (Lupinus luteus L.) and lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) cv. Burpee Bibb expressing envelope surface protein. Mice that were fed the transgenic lupin tissue developed significant levels of hepatitis B virus‐specific antibodies. Human volunteers, fed with transgenic lettuce plants expressing hepatitis B virus surface antigen, developed specific serum‐IgG response to plant produced protein.—Kapusta, J., Modelska, A., Figlerowicz, M., Pniewski, T., Letellier, M., Lisowa, O., Yusibov, V., Koprowski, H., Plucienniczak, A., Legocki, A. B. A plant‐derived edible vaccine against hepatitis B virus. FASEB J. 13, 1796–1799 (1999)

Oral immunization of human with transgenic lettuce expressing hepatitis B surface antigen.

A number of reports for the past few years have shown that higher plants can be important and useful tools for production and delivery of viral antigens. Oral route represents one of the most efficient and safe ways for administration of therapeutic proteins [1]. Among protein antigens expressed in transgenic plants is hepatitis B surface antigen as reported by several laboratories.