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Review
. 2022 Oct 27:13:1050309.
doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1050309. eCollection 2022.

Strategy of developing nucleic acid-based universal monkeypox vaccine candidates

Dimitri Papukashvili  1 , Nino Rcheulishvili  1 , Cong Liu  1 , Xingyun Wang  1 , Yunjiao He  1 , Peng George Wang  1
Affiliations
Review

Strategy of developing nucleic acid-based universal monkeypox vaccine candidates

Dimitri Papukashvili et al. Front Immunol. .

Abstract

Until May 2022, zoonotic infectious disease monkeypox (MPX) caused by the monkeypox virus (MPXV) was one of the forgotten viruses considered to be geographically limited in African countries even though few cases outside of Africa were identified. Central and West African countries are known to be endemic for MPXV. However, since the number of human MPX cases has rapidly increased outside of Africa the global interest in this virus has markedly grown. The majority of infected people with MPXV have never been vaccinated against smallpox virus. Noteworthily, the MPXV spreads fast in men who have sex with men (MSM). Preventive measures against MPXV are essential to be taken, indeed, vaccination is the key. Due to the antigenic similarities, the smallpox vaccine is efficient against MPXV. Nevertheless, there is no specific MPXV vaccine until now. Nucleic acid vaccines deserve special attention since the emergency approval of two messenger RNA (mRNA)-based coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines in 2020. This milestone in vaccinology has opened a new platform for developing more mRNA- or DNA-based vaccines. Certainly, this type of vaccine has a number of advantages including time- and cost-effectiveness over conventional vaccines. The platform of nucleic acid-based vaccines gives humankind a huge opportunity. Ultimately, there is a strong need for developing a universal vaccine against MPXV. This review will shed the light on the strategies for developing nucleic acid vaccines against MPXV in a timely manner. Consequently, developing nucleic acid-based vaccines may alleviate the global threat against MPXV.

Keywords: DNA vaccine; MPXV; mRNA vaccine; monkeypox virus; pandemic; universal vaccine.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Timeline of MPXV from the first identification until the current outbreak.
Figure 2
Figure 2
The general structure of MPXV.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Pathogenesis and clinical manifestation of MPXV.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Possible reasons for 2022 MPXV multi-country outbreak.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Outline of designing universal multi-epitope vaccine against MPXV, VARV, and VACV.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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