Different applications of virus-like particles in biology and medicine: Vaccination and delivery systems

Abstract

Virus-like particles (VLPs) mimic the whole construct of virus particles devoid of viral genome as used in subunit vaccine design. VLPs can elicit efficient protective immunity as direct immunogens compared to soluble antigens co-administered with adjuvants in several booster injections. Up to now, several prokaryotic and eukaryotic systems such as insect, yeast, plant, and E. coli were used to express recombinant proteins, especially for VLP production. Recent studies are also generating VLPs in plants using different transient expression vectors for edible vaccines. VLPs and viral particles have been applied for different functions such as gene therapy, vaccination, nanotechnology, and diagnostics. Herein, we describe VLP production in different systems as well as its applications in biology and medicine.

Keywords: clinical trials; delivery system; prokaryotic and eukaryotic systems; vaccination; virus-like particles.

Figure 1

General model of VLP along with its applications: The picture shows the recombinant HPV16 L1 pentamers assembled in vitro into capsid‐like structures. Self‐assembly of recombinant viral coat proteins into empty capsids is a promising strategy for production of virus‐like particles (VLPs) in vaccine design. The resulting VLPs can induce a protective immune response by mimicking the authentic epitopes of virions.