Wigdorovitz A, Carrillo C, Dus Santos M J, Trono K, Peralta A, Gómez M C, Ríos R D, Franzone P M, Sadir A M, Escribano J M, Borca M V
Instituto de Virología, C. I. C. V., INTA-Castelar, CC77, Morón, (1708), Pcia. de Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Virology. 1999 Mar 15;255(2):347-53. doi: 10.1006/viro.1998.9590.
The utilization of transgenic plants expressing recombinant antigens to be used in the formulation of experimental immunogens has been recently communicated. We report here the development of transgenic plants of alfalfa expressing the structural protein VP1 of foot and mouth disease virus (FMDV). The presence of the transgenes in the plants was confirmed by PCR and their specific transcription was demonstrated by RT-PCR. Mice parenterally immunized using leaf extracts or receiving in their diet freshly harvested leaves from the transgenic plants developed a virus-specific immune response. Animals immunized by either method elicited a specific antibody response to a synthetic peptide representing amino acid residues 135-160 of VP1, to the structural protein VP1, and to intact FMDV particles. Additionally, the immunized mice were protected against experimental challenge with the virus. We believe this is the first report demonstrating the induction of a protective systemic antibody response in animals fed transgenic plants expressing a viral antigen. These results support the feasibility of producing edible vaccines in transgenic forage plants, such as alfalfa, commonly used in the diet of domestic animals even for those antigens for which a systemic immune response is required.
最近已报道了利用表达重组抗原的转基因植物来制备实验性免疫原。我们在此报告表达口蹄疫病毒（FMDV）结构蛋白VP1的苜蓿转基因植物的培育情况。通过PCR证实了植物中转基因的存在，并通过RT-PCR证明了其特异性转录。用叶片提取物对小鼠进行腹腔免疫或让小鼠食用新鲜收获的转基因植物叶片，小鼠产生了病毒特异性免疫反应。通过这两种方法免疫的动物对代表VP1氨基酸残基135 - 160的合成肽、结构蛋白VP1以及完整的FMDV颗粒都产生了特异性抗体反应。此外，免疫后的小鼠对病毒的实验性攻击具有抵抗力。我们认为这是第一份证明在食用表达病毒抗原的转基因植物的动物中诱导出保护性全身抗体反应的报告。这些结果支持了在转基因饲料植物（如苜蓿，常用于家畜日粮）中生产可食用疫苗的可行性，即使对于那些需要全身免疫反应的抗原也是如此。
