Biochemical composition of haemagglutinin‐based influenza virus‐like particle vaccine produced by transient expression in tobacco plants

• DOI: 10.1111/pbi.12301
• Publication Date: 2014-12-19T09:10:15Z
• Authors: François Le Mauff; Geneviève Mercier; Philippe Chan; Carole Burel; David Vaudry; Muriel Bardor; Louis‐Philippe Vé...; Manon Couture; Patrice Lerouge; Nathalie Landry
• Keywords: Tobacco leaf; Transient (computer programming)

Summary Influenza virus‐like particles ( VLP s) are noninfectious resembling the influenza virus representing a promising vaccine alternative to inactivated virions as antigens. Medicago inc. has developed plant‐based manufacturing platform allowing large‐scale production of GMP ‐grade s. In this article, we report on biochemical compositions these candidate vaccines, more particularly characterization N‐ glycan profiles viral haemagglutinins H1 and H5 proteins well tobacco‐derived lipid content residual impurities. Mass spectrometry analyses showed that all glycosylation sites extracellular domain recombinant carry plant‐specific complex‐type glycans having core α(1,3)‐fucose, β(1,2)‐xylose epitopes Lewis extensions. Previous phases I II clinical studies have demonstrated no hypersensibility nor induction IgG or IgE directed against was observed. addition, article plant‐made vaccines highly pure s preparations while detecting protein contaminants coming either from Agrobacterium enzymes used for enzyme‐assisted extraction process. contrast, contain few host cell glucosylceramides associated with plant rafts. Identification such raft markers, together type impurity identified, confirmed mechanism formation in planta is similar natural process assembly mammals.