Role of heavy water in biological sciences with an emphasis on thermostabilization of vaccines

Abstract

Preservation of vaccines, viruses and other biologicals is one of the onerous tasks in maintaining the quality of the products from manufacture until they reach the end users. Live-attenuated viral vaccines, serum immunoglobulins, plasma fractions and clinical samples, including tissues and body fluids, are all materials that usually require cold-chain maintenance during storage and distribution. A number of stabilizers are currently used to help retain the quality of these materials, in particular vaccines, during transit. Deuterium oxide (heavy water; D₂O) has previously been reported to have a protective effect on biomolecules (proteins and nucleic acids), cells and simple multicellular organisms against thermal shock. Of late, the potential of D₂O has been demonstrated in stabilization of the oral polio and yellow fever 17D vaccines. This review is the outcome of a thorough search and scan of the literature in a quest to explore the potential use of heavy water in the stabilization of veterinary biologicals. The literature search revealed this potential of heavy water as exemplified by successful stabilization of oral polio and yellow fever vaccines. Through this review, the authors wish to inform animal health researchers and disseminate their knowledge on the use of heavy water in biomolecule stabilization and its potential application in the stabilization of veterinary vaccines and other biologicals.

Keywords::

• heavy water
• stabilization
• veterinary biologicals
• veterinary vaccine

Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully acknowledge the help and encouragement received from the Director of the Indian Veterinary Research Institute in the preparation of this manuscript and carrying out research work pertaining to heavy water at the Division of Virology, Indian Veterinary Research Institute (Mukteswar, India). The help received from the Heavy Water Board, Government of India, is gratefully acknowledged.

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Notes

PPR: Peste des petits ruminants.