Imagine if one day, patients could simply eat a vegetable or fruit, and become protected from dangerous infections. This is exactly what the Russian researchers at 'Vector' State Scientific Center for Virology and Biotechnology, along with the specialists from the Institute for Biological Chemistry and Fundamental Medicine in Novosibirsk, Siberian Institute for Plants Physiology and Biochemistry, Irkutsk, and the scientists from the Department for Agricultural Research, Maryland, USA are working to achieve - creating an edible vaccine against the deadly HIV virus.The chosen fruit is the humble tomato. Using an agro-bacterial vector, the scientists are able to introduce the right gene into tomato plants. The hybrid plasmid (circular DNA) is then collected from the agro bacteria culture, where the inserted artificial protein gene would serve as an HIV antigen. The cauliflower mosaic virus is also added to the combination as a promoter to control the targeted gene’s functioning process. Then using an injection needle, this complex construction and bacteria culture is incorporated into tomato germs that are grown on a special nutrient medium. The germs that grew roots are then planted on soil and cultivated in the greenhouse until they are full-grown and developed fruit.
Through the use of polymerase chain reaction, the researchers have managed to prove that the specified gene is indeed present in the plants, and the protein required for the vaccine is not only contained in the tomato leaves, but in the fruit itself as well. In order to find out if the gene could also be passed through to the plants’ next generation, the scientists took the seeds of the transgenic tomatoes and cultivated a second generation of tomatoes. It was found that the offspring also contained the HIV antigen. The protein-antigen in this potential edible vaccine would trigger the so-called mucous type of immune protection through interaction with the mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract. This would then enable the organism to synthesize antibodies against virus protein.
So why use edible vaccines? They are inexpensive, and unlikely to pass on infections like its injection vaccines counterpart. And last but not least, they are delectable treats that do not induce any pain.
References:
Informnauka (Informscience) Agency (2004, August 18). AIDS And Tomatoes. ScienceDaily. Retrieved May 12, 2009, from http://www.sciencedaily.com /releases/2004/08/040816001548.htm
