An overview of tuberculosis plant-derived vaccines

Abstract

Tuberculosis (TB) is a leading fatal infectious disease to which the current BCG vaccine has a questionable efficacy in adults. Thus, the development of improved vaccines against TB is needed. In addition, decreasing the cost of vaccine formulations is required for broader vaccination coverage through global vaccination programs. In this regard, the use of plants as biofactories and delivery vehicles of TB vaccines has been researched over the last decade. These studies are systematically analyzed in the present review and placed in perspective. It is considered that substantial preclinical trials are still required to address improvements in expression levels as well as immunological data. Approaches for testing additional antigenic configurations with higher yields and improved immunogenic properties are also discussed.

Keywords:

• cellular immunity
• inflammation
• Mycobacterium tuberculosis
• oral immunization
• subunit vaccine
• vaccine cost

Acknowledgements

Current investigations from the group are supported by CONACYT/México (grant CB-2008-01, 102109 to SRM and grant CB-2010-01, 151818 to CA) and FAI/UASLP/2014 to SRM.

Financial & competing interests disclosure

S Rosales-Mendoza was supported by CONACYT/México (grant CB-2008-01-102109) and UASLP (FAI-2014 grant). C Angulo was supported by CONACYT/México (grant CB-2010-01, 151818). The authors have no other 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 apart from those disclosed.

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

Key issues

• Tuberculosis (TB), caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, is an infectious disease of high epidemiologic impact.

• Innovative, effective and low-cost TB vaccines would provide the ideal strategy to effectively fight TB worldwide.

• Plants are considered advantageous platforms to produce vaccine antigens and may also be used as oral vaccine delivery vehicles.

• An up-to-date outlook on the development of plant-based vaccines against TB is provided.

• Herein, are discussed improvements of immunization schemes as well as how to fully characterize the immunoprotective potential of candidates with the perspective of development of innovations based on new expression strategies and antigen designs.