Vacinas do tipo partículas semelhantes a vírus (VLP) à base de plantas: uma revisão

Abstract

Vaccines play a crucial role in preventing infectious diseases and promoting public health. Their benefits are vast and varied, ranging from individual protection to contributing to herd immunity. By stimulating the immune system to recognize and combat specific pathogens, vaccines help prevent serious illnesses, reducing morbidity and mortality associated with various diseases. However, despite the success achieved with traditional vaccines, there are still factors to be improved to maximize efficacy and reach of immunizations. Thus, there is a demand for new approaches in vaccine production and development. The aim of this work was to conduct a comprehensive literature review on vaccines, with a focus on virus-like particle (VLP) vaccines based on plants. All theoretical basis is descriptive and built from materials available in databases such as PubMed, Science Direct, and the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). The topics covered include the history, types, platforms, and the importance of vaccines. In addition to specific knowledge discussing the conceptualization of VLPs, expression systems in plants, clinical studies, market, and challenges facing plant vaccines. Plant-based VLP vaccines are a growing, innovative, and promising technology for vaccine development. This approach leverages the advantages of plants as expression systems, leading to potentially safer, more effective, accessible, and sustainable vaccines for a variety of infectious diseases. Furthermore, plant-based VLP vaccines can help overcome logistical and distribution challenges, especially in regions with limited infrastructure, contributing to global health and reducing the burden of diseases. This area of research can also drive biotechnological innovation and promote advances in preventive medicine.