Design of a Golden Gate Cloning Plasmid for the Generation of a Chimeric Virus-Like Particle-Based Subunit Vaccine Against Porcine Circovirus Type 2.

Porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) is a pervasive pathogen in the swine industry, leading to a spectrum of disorders known as porcine circovirus associated diseases (PCVAD). The PCV2 Cap protein contains critical antigenic epitopes and is the primary target for vaccine development. Current vaccines include inactivated viral particles and virus-like particles (VLPs), with experimental vaccines exploring various innovative approaches.

Expression of Breast Cancer-Related Epitopes Targeting the IGF-1 Receptor in Chimeric Human Parvovirus B19 Virus-Like Particles.

Breast cancer is a worldwide health problem, and the complexity of the disease, as well as the lack of treatment specificity, generates an urgent need for developing prophylactic and therapeutic measures. Searching for novel epitope-based approaches able to induce tumour immunity, we designed virus-like particles (VLPs) derived from Human parvovirus B19 assembled of chimeric VP2 proteins displaying two epitopes from the insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor (IGF-1R). Here, we present the generation of two chimeric VP2s that retain the stability, solubility and conditions of purification and assembly of the native VP2.

Gold nanoparticles and vaccine development.

Mucosal vaccines constitute an advantageous immunization approach to achieve broad immunization against widespread diseases; however, improvements in this field are still required to expand their exploitation. As gold nanoparticles are biocompatible and can be easily functionalized with antigens, they have been proposed as carriers for the delivery of vaccines. The study of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) in vaccinology has been of interest for a number of research groups in recent years and important advances have been made.

Production of a plant-derived immunogenic protein targeting ApoB100 and CETP: toward a plant-based atherosclerosis vaccine.

In an effort to initiate the development of a plant-based vaccination model against atherosclerosis, a cholera toxin B subunit (CTB)-based chimeric protein was designed to target both ApoB100 and CETP epitopes associated with immunotherapeutic effects in atherosclerosis. Epitopes were fused at the C-terminus of CTB to yield a protein called CTB:p210:CETPe. A synthetic gene coding for CTB:p210:CETPe was successfully transferred to tobacco plants with no phenotypic alterations.

A perspective for atherosclerosis vaccination: is there a place for plant-based vaccines?

Alternatives to pharmacological treatments for atherosclerosis are highly desirable in terms of cost and compliance. During the last two decades several vaccination strategies have been reported as an effort to develop immunotherapeutic treatments. This approach consists on eliciting immune responses able to modulate either the atherosclerosis-associated inflammatory processes or the activity of some physiological mechanisms that are up-regulated under this pathologic condition.