Edible vaccines use transgenic plants to produce vaccine antigens that are administered orally. The presentation discusses how genes encoding antigens are inserted into plants using techniques like Agrobacterium transformation. This allows the plants to produce the antigens, which can then be delivered through fruits and vegetables. Advantages of edible vaccines include easy administration without refrigeration and stimulation of mucosal immunity. Examples presented include transgenic potatoes producing antigens for hepatitis B, cholera, and typhoid fever. Limitations include potential immune tolerance and stability of antigens in foods.

1. Edible vaccine
Food as a vaccine
PRESENTED BY:
MR. PRITAM VIJAY JUVATKAR
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR
pvjuvatkar@rediffmail.com, +91 9987779536
KONKAN GYANPEETH RAHUL DHARKAR COLLEGE OF PHARMACY AND RESEARCH
INSTITUTE, KARJAT
UNIVERSITY OF MUMBAI

2. Vaccine
 Vaccines are typically containing microbes that resemble a disease-causing pathogen and are often
made from microorganisms (either live or as killed form) and its toxin or one of its surface or other
protein molecules.
Edible Vaccine
 It involves the process of incorporating the selected desired genes into plants and then enabling
these altered plants to produce the encoded proteins.
 This process is known as transformation, and the altered plants are known as transgenic plants.
 Edible vaccines like traditional subunit vaccines consist of antigenic proteins and are devoid of
pathogenic genes.

3. ADVANTAGES OF EDIBLE VACCINES
Potential advantages of plant-based vaccines include
 Easy mode of administration.
 Economy and easy transportation.
 Extensive storage facilities like cold storage are not required.
 Heat stable and no need of refrigeration.
 Antigen is protected through bio encapsulation, hence minimal chance of degradation
 Stimulation of both systemic and mucosal immunity.
 Improved compliance.
 Multiple antigens can be delivered.
 Integration with other vaccine is possible

4. EXAMPLES OF FRUIT DERIVED VACCINES
The best examples of fruit derived edible vaccines which include
 Transgenic potato vaccine ,
 Typhoid fever vaccine from fruits polysaccharide,
 Plant derived edible vaccine against hepatitis B virus,
 Plant derived vaccines against diarrheal diseases (enterotoxin E. Coli ,
 Transgenic potatoes expressing lymphotoxin beta ,
 Transgenic corn expressing lymphotoxin beta,
 Edible malaria vaccines from bear fruits .

5. Ediblevaccine
ANTIGEN FROM VACCINE
M CELL
B CELL
ANTIBODY
HELPER T
CELL
MACROPHAGES
STIMULATORY
SECRETION
INITIAL RESPONSE
1 M Cells pass the
antigen to
macrophages and B
Cell
2. Macrophages display
piece of the antigen to
helper T Cells
3. T cells stimulate B cells
and seek out antigens at
distant sites
4. Activated B Cells make
and release antibodies able
to neutralize the antigen
Y
Mechanism of
action of Edible
vaccine

6. Ediblevaccine
Memory
B CELL
ANTIBODY
Memory
Helper T
Cell
When a disease agent appears
1 Memory helper T
cells prod cytotoxic T
cells to attack infected
cells
2. Memory helper T cells
swiftly stimulate antibody
secretion
3. Antibodies quickly
Neutralize the invader
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
ARRIVING VIRUS
INFECTED
CELL
Cytotoxic T
Cell
Mechanism of
action of Edible
vaccine

7. Edible vaccine
BACTERIAL CELL
Antigen Gene
Plasmid
Antibiotic Resistance Gene
1. Cut Leaf 2. Expose leaf to bacteria
carrying an antigen gene
and an antibiotic
resistance gene. Allow
bacteria to deliver the
genes into leaf cells.
Bacterial
Suspension
DNA
Plant cell
Gene Transfer
Dead Cell
Antibiotic medium
Callus
3. Expose leaf to an antibiotic
to kill cells that lack the
new genes. Wait for
surviving ( Gene- altered)
cells to multiply and form a
clump ( callus)
4.Allow callus to sprout
shoots and roots.
5. Put in soil. Within three
months the planlets will
grow into plants bearing
antigen- loaded vaccine
potatoes
Vaccine Potatoes

8. Developing an Edible Vaccine
 Suitable plant virus is genetically engineered to produce the desired peptides/proteins.
 The recombinant virus is then incorporated into the plant, which enables it to produce a huge number
of new plants from which chimeric virions are isolated and purified.
 The consequential edible plant vaccine can then be used for immunological applications.
2. In another method, the desirable gene is incorporated with plant vector by transformation. Many other
approaches have been utilized which can be categorized into following groups:
 Agrobacterium mediated gene transfer
 Biolistic method
 Electroporation
Developing an Edible Vaccine

9.  Agrobacterium mediated gene transfer
 In this method, the suitable gene (recombinant DNA) is incorporated into the T‐region of
a disarmed Ti plasmid of Agrobacterium; a plant pathogen, which is co-cultured with the
plant cells, or tissues that needs to be transformed
 This approach is slow with lower yield however; it showed satisfactory results in
dicotelydenous plants like potato, tomato and tobacco.
 Researches in some fields have proven this approach good in expressing the desirable
traits by selected genes in several experimental animals and plants.
Developing an Edible Vaccine

10. Developing an Edible Vaccine
Biolistic method
 This sophisticated method involves the use of gene gun that fires the gene containing
DNA coated metal (e.g. gold, tungsten) particles at the plant cells.
 Plant cells are then permitted to grow in new plants, which are later on cloned to
produce ample number of crop with similar genetic composition.
 This approach is highly attractive due to its undependability on regeneration ability of
the species as DNA is directly incorporated into cells of plant.
 However, requirement of expensive device particle gun adds to the major drawback to
this method.

11. Developing an Edible Vaccine
Electroporation
 In this method DNA is inserted into the cells after which they are exposed to high voltage
electrical pulse which is believed to produce transient pores within the plasma lemma.
 This approach requires the additional effort of weakening the cell wall as it acts as an
effective barrier against entry of DNA into cell cytoplasm hence, it requires mild
enzymatic treatment.

12.  Chances of development of immune tolerance.
 Stability of fruit vaccine in fruit is not known.
 Evaluating dosage requirement is tedious.
 Chances of food allergic reactions due to the presence of antigens
 Selection of specific plant for specific gene is difficult.
 Glycosylation patterns in plants differ from those in humans and could affect the
functionality of the vaccines.
 Certain foods like potato are not eaten raw and cooking the food might weaken the
medicine present in it.
Limitations of Edible Vaccines

13. Thank You
PRESENTED BY:
MR. PRITAM VIJAY JUVATKAR
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR
pvjuvatkar@rediffmail.com, +91 9987779536
KONKAN GYANPEETH RAHUL DHARKAR COLLEGE OF PHARMACY AND RESEARCH
INSTITUTE, KARJAT
UNIVERSITY OF MUMBAI

14. Disclosure
PRESENTED BY:
MR. PRITAM VIJAY JUVATKAR
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR
pvjuvatkar@rediffmail.com, +91 9987779536
KONKAN GYANPEETH RAHUL DHARKAR COLLEGE OF PHARMACY AND RESEARCH
INSTITUTE, KARJAT
UNIVERSITY OF MUMBAI
This Presentation is meant for Study Notes for B.Pharm Students only. Please do
not take as a reference for treatment for an ailments or other usage