Transient Expression of Flavivirus Structural Proteins in <i>Nicotiana benthamiana</i>
Naveed Asghar,
Wessam Melik,
Katrine M. Paulsen,
Bendikte N. Pedersen,
Erik G. Bø-Granquist,
Rose Vikse,
Snorre Stuen,
Sören Andersson,
Åke Strid,
Åshild K. Andreassen,
Magnus Johansson
Affiliations
Naveed Asghar
School of Medical Sciences, Inflammatory Response and Infection Susceptibility Centre (iRiSC), Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, SE-70362 Örebro, Sweden
Wessam Melik
School of Medical Sciences, Inflammatory Response and Infection Susceptibility Centre (iRiSC), Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, SE-70362 Örebro, Sweden
Katrine M. Paulsen
Department of Virology, Division for Infection Control, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, N-0213 Oslo, Norway
Bendikte N. Pedersen
Department of Virology, Division for Infection Control, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, N-0213 Oslo, Norway
Erik G. Bø-Granquist
Department of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, N-4325 Sandnes, Norway
Rose Vikse
Department of Virology, Division for Infection Control, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, N-0213 Oslo, Norway
Snorre Stuen
Department of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, N-4325 Sandnes, Norway
Sören Andersson
Department of Public Health Analysis and Data Management, Public Health Agency of Sweden, SE-17165 Solna, Sweden
Åke Strid
School of Science and Technology, The Life Science Centre, Örebro University, SE-70281 Örebro, Sweden
Åshild K. Andreassen
Department of Virology, Division for Infection Control, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, N-0213 Oslo, Norway
Magnus Johansson
School of Medical Sciences, Inflammatory Response and Infection Susceptibility Centre (iRiSC), Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, SE-70362 Örebro, Sweden
Flaviviruses are a threat to public health and can cause major disease outbreaks. Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is caused by a flavivirus, and it is one of the most important causes of viral encephalitis in Europe and is on the rise in Sweden. As there is no antiviral treatment available, vaccination remains the best protective measure against TBE. Currently available TBE vaccines are based on formalin-inactivated virus produced in cell culture. These vaccines must be delivered by intramuscular injection, have a burdensome immunization schedule, and may exhibit vaccine failure in certain populations. This project aimed to develop an edible TBE vaccine to trigger a stronger immune response through oral delivery of viral antigens to mucosal surfaces. We demonstrated successful expression and post-translational processing of flavivirus structural proteins which then self-assembled to form virus-like particles in Nicotiana benthamiana. We performed oral toxicity tests in mice using various plant species as potential bioreactors and evaluated the immunogenicity of the resulting edible vaccine candidate. Mice immunized with the edible vaccine candidate did not survive challenge with TBE virus. Interestingly, immunization of female mice with a commercial TBE vaccine can protect their offspring against TBE virus infection.
