Integrating plant molecular farming and materials research for next-generation vaccines

Young Hun Chung; Derek Church; Edward C Koellhoffer; Elizabeth Osota; Sourabh Shukla; Edward P Rybicki; Jonathan K Pokorski; Nicole F Steinmetz

doi:10.1038/s41578-021-00399-5

Integrating plant molecular farming and materials research for next-generation vaccines

Nat Rev Mater. 2022;7(5):372-388. doi: 10.1038/s41578-021-00399-5. Epub 2021 Dec 6.

Authors

Young Hun Chung¹, Derek Church², Edward C Koellhoffer³, Elizabeth Osota^{2

4}, Sourabh Shukla², Edward P Rybicki⁵, Jonathan K Pokorski^{2

6

7}, Nicole F Steinmetz^{1

2

3

6

7

8}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA USA.
² Department of Nanoengineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA USA.
³ Department of Radiology, University of California, San Diego Health, La Jolla, CA USA.
⁴ Biomedical Science Program, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA USA.
⁵ Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
⁶ Institute for Materials Discovery and Design, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA USA.
⁷ Center for Nano-Immuno Engineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA USA.
⁸ Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA USA.

Abstract

Biologics - medications derived from a biological source - are increasingly used as pharmaceuticals, for example, as vaccines. Biologics are usually produced in bacterial, mammalian or insect cells. Alternatively, plant molecular farming, that is, the manufacture of biologics in plant cells, transgenic plants and algae, offers a cheaper and easily adaptable strategy for the production of biologics, in particular, in low-resource settings. In this Review, we discuss current vaccination challenges, such as cold chain requirements, and highlight how plant molecular farming in combination with advanced materials can be applied to address these challenges. The production of plant viruses and virus-based nanotechnologies in plants enables low-cost and regional fabrication of thermostable vaccines. We also highlight key new vaccine delivery technologies, including microneedle patches and material platforms for intranasal and oral delivery. Finally, we provide an outlook of future possibilities for plant molecular farming of next-generation vaccines and biologics.

Keywords: Plant biotechnology; Protein vaccines; Vaccines.

Publication types

Review

Abstract

Publication types

Grants and funding