Production and Biomedical Application of Flavivirus-like Particles. Issue 11 (November 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Krol, Ewelina; Brzuska, Gabriela; Szewczyk, Boguslaw
• Is Part Of: Trends in biotechnology. Volume 37:Issue 11(2019)
• Page Start: 1202
• Page End: 1216
• Publication Date: 2019-11
• Subjects: virus-like particles -- flaviviruses -- mosquito-borne viruses -- vaccines -- diagnosis; Biotechnology -- Periodicals; Biochemical engineering -- Periodicals; Genetic engineering -- Periodicals; Industrial microbiology -- Periodicals; 660.605
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2019.03.013
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0167-7799

Abstract

Abstract : Many viruses belonging to the Flaviviridae family are transmitted by invertebrate vectors. Among those transmitted by mosquitos, there are many human pathogens of great medical importance, such as Japanese encephalitis virus, West Nile virus, dengue virus, Zika virus, or yellow fever virus. Millions of people contract mosquito-borne diseases each year, leading to thousands of deaths. Co-circulation of genetically similar flaviviruses in the same areas result in the generation of crossreactive antibodies, which is of serious concern for the development of effective vaccines and diagnostic tests. This review provides comprehensive insight into the potential use of virus-like particles as safe and effective antigens in both diagnostics tests, as well as in the development of vaccines against several mosquito-borne flaviviruses. Highlights: The Flaviviridae family comprises viruses associated with human diseases of great medical importance transmitted by arthropod vectors (ticks and mosquitoes). Flaviviruses are highly similar, which poses a problem for development of vaccines and diagnostic tests. So far, only three vaccines against these important pathogens (yellow fever virus, Japanese encephalitis virus, and dengue virus), based on live-attenuated or inactivated viruses, have been approved for human use. Virus-like particles (VLPs) are an attractive approach in vaccinology. Over the past 20 years only a few VLP-based vaccines have been licensed for human use. Many mosquito-borne VLP-based vaccines produced in different expression systems are currently in preclinical to clinical developmental stages. Although flaviviruses show a high degree of sequence homology, VLP antigens widely differ in terms of yield and immunogenicity.