Development of Tobamoviruses as a Self-Adjuvanted Vaccine Platform That Elicits High Levels of Protective IgA Against Mucosally Transmitted Pathogens
Abstract
Pathogenic organisms such as viruses or bacteria will often infect humans at sites of mucosal tissue – areas of soft moist skin or surface tissues that are present in the gut, nose, or lungs. However, most vaccines are delivered by injection and do not selectively target these common points of entry. The recent interest in SARS coronaviruses has led to the discovery of a protein hook (RBD) that the virus uses to attach itself to a human protein, ACE-2, present within the nose and lungs. One of the functions of ACE-2 is to cleave a peptide called angiotensin I that causes an increase in blood pressure, and peptide inhibitors of ACE-2 have previously been discovered. We think that one can mimic the virus and use the RBD and peptide inhibitors to target small vaccine particles directly to the human lungs. We will use this proposal to test if a small plant virus (ZMV) can be targeted and made to elicit an immune response. The newly developed vaccine particles will be tested by binding to cell culture lines and if successful tested as vaccines in mice. Such vaccines will not require a needle but will be directly inhaled (intranasal vaccine) or fed (oral vaccine) to the experimental mice. In this way, these small viral particles can be used as vaccine delivery system in humans against diseases like SARS-CoV-2 and HIV.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Dec 05, 2021
- Source ID
- W81XWH2110111
Entities
People
- Sheetij Dutta
Organizations
- United States Army
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research