Abstract
Molecular pharming or the technology of application of plants and plant cell culture to manufacture high-value recombinant proteins has progressed a long way over the last three decades. Whether generated in transgenic plants by stable expression or in plant virus-based transient expression systems, biopharmaceuticals have been produced to combat several human viral diseases that have impacted the world in pandemic proportions. Plants have been variously employed in expressing a host of viral antigens as well as monoclonal antibodies. Many of these biopharmaceuticals have shown great promise in animal models and several of them have performed successfully in clinical trials. The current review elaborates the strategies and successes achieved in generating plant-derived vaccines to target several virus-induced health concerns including highly communicable infectious viral diseases. Importantly, plant-made biopharmaceuticals against hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), the cancer-causing virus human papillomavirus (HPV), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), influenza virus, zika virus, and the emerging respiratory virus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) have been discussed. The use of plant virus-derived nanoparticles (VNPs) and virus-like particles (VLPs) in generating plant-based vaccines are extensively addressed. The review closes with a critical look at the caveats of plant-based molecular pharming and future prospects towards further advancements in this technology. The use of biopharmed viral vaccines in human medicine and as part of emergency response vaccines and therapeutics in humans looks promising for the near future.
Highlights
Plants are being used as vaccine biofactories for expressing antibodies as well as foreign antigens using genetic engineering technologies
In contrast to DNA-based vaccines which pose the risk of insertion into the human genome and the potential for oncogenesis, plantproduced Virus-Like Particles (VLPs) displaying viral epitopes are far safer compared to attenuated viruses and animal virus vector-derived vaccines
The current review addresses the use of plant-based vaccines and therapeutic antibodies for prophylaxis and therapy of human viral diseases
Summary
Plants are being used as vaccine biofactories for expressing antibodies as well as foreign antigens using genetic engineering technologies. Deconstructed viruses delivered into the plants by Agrobacterium containing T-DNA molecules harboring viral replicons can enable fast, highly scaled up expression of the foreign proteins at robust yields while complying with the existing. In contrast to DNA-based vaccines which pose the risk of insertion into the human genome and the potential for oncogenesis, plantproduced Virus-Like Particles (VLPs) displaying viral epitopes are far safer compared to attenuated viruses and animal virus vector-derived vaccines. The current review addresses the use of plant-based vaccines and therapeutic antibodies for prophylaxis and therapy of human viral diseases. In this context are discussed vaccines against viruses such as HBV, HCV, Influenza Virus, HPV, HIV, SARS-CoV-2, and Zika Virus. We hope to bring to light the idea that plant-based vaccines show great promise in combating viral diseases and will be the major avenue for low-cost and easy administration of vaccines in developing countries in the future
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
