Tobacco-Based Vaccines, Hopes, and Concerns: A Systematic Review.

Area of Science:

• Plant biotechnology
• Vaccinology
• Infectious disease control

Background:

• Emerging infectious diseases pose significant global economic and health challenges.
• Plant-based vaccines (PBV), particularly those derived from tobacco, present a cost-effective alternative.
• Tobacco has a proven track record as an efficient expression system for PBV.

Approach:

• A comprehensive literature search was conducted in PubMed, Google Scholar, and Science Direct (1995-2021).
• Keywords included 'Tobacco-based vaccines', 'transgenic tobacco', 'Nicotiana benthamiana vaccines', and 'Infectious diseases' or 'communicable diseases'.
• Eligible studies focusing on in vitro, in vivo, or clinical applications of TBV for human infectious diseases were critically reviewed.

Key Points:

• Out of 976 identified studies, 63 met the eligibility criteria.
• 43 studies demonstrated in vitro expression of vaccine candidates in tobacco systems against 23 pathogens.
• 23 studies assessed in vivo immunogenicity, with 10 progressing to clinical trials.
• Viral pathogens were more frequently studied than bacterial pathogens.

Conclusions:

• Tobacco-based vaccines (TBV) show significant potential as an effective strategy against emerging viral infectious diseases.
• The timely deployment of affordable TBV can mitigate viral outbreaks and safeguard global healthcare systems.
• Further development and clinical application of TBV are crucial for pandemic preparedness.