Human papillomavirus vaccines in plants

Abstract

Human papillomaviruses are the etiological agents of cervical cancer, one of the two most prevalent cancers in women in developing countries. Currently available prophylactic vaccines are based on the L1 major capsid protein, which forms virus-like particles when expressed in yeast and insect cell lines. Despite their recognized efficacy, there are significant shortcomings: the vaccines are expensive, include only two oncogenic virus types, are delivered via intramuscular injection and require a cold chain. Plant expression systems may provide ways of overcoming some of these problems, in particular the expense. In this article, we report recent promising advances in the production of prophylactic and therapeutic vaccines against human papillomavirus by expression of the relevant antigens in plants, and discuss future prospects for the use of such vaccines.

Keywords::

• cancer vaccine
• cervical carcinoma
• human papillomavirus
• human papillomavirus infection
• immunotherapy
• plant-produced vaccine
• prophylaxis
• virus-like particles

Acknowledgements

Colomba Giorgi acknowledges the work of the ISS team, and in particular Paola Di Bonito, Luisa Accardi, Felicia Grasso and Stefania Mochi. Edward P Rybick acknowledges the work of the UCT team, and in particular of Anna-Lise Williamson and Inga Hitzeroth. Rosella Franconi acknowledges the work of the ENEA team, and in particular of Silvia Massa, Elena Illiano and Olivia Demurtas. Rosella Franconi and Colomba Giorgi acknowledge Aldo Venuti and his group at Regina Elena Cancer Institute, Laboratory of Virology, Rome, Italy for the fruitful collaboration, lasting since 1999.

Financial & competing interests disclosure

Colomba Giorgi acknowledges the funding of the Italian Ministry of the Health, Integrated Oncology Program (2007–2010). Edward P Rybicki acknowledges funding by the National Research Foundation’s Innovation Fund, and the Poliomyelitis Research Foundation and Medical Research Council. The work was partially funded by a grant from the Italian Ministry of Health. 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.