From plants new veterinary vaccines against diseases transmissible to humans
This is the aim of the Reprodivac project, funded with 6 million euro and coordinated by the research agency Enea
Key points
From plants new veterinary vaccines against diseases transmissible to humans. All through the production of molecules for the development of vaccines and diagnostic kits for certain sheep and pig diseases. In the field of this project, called Repordivac and financed to the tune of 6 million euros with European funds, there are also ENEA researchers involved in the coordination role.
The focus on 4 livestock diseases
The project, as emphasised by the research agency, focuses on four livestock reproductive diseases: porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (Prrs) of viral origin, Q fever caused by the Coxiella burnetii bacterium that mainly affects sheep and goats, ovine enzootic abortion caused by the Chlamydia abortus bacterium, and porcine brucellosis caused by the Brucella suis bacterium. "These diseases," the research agency points out, "cause major economic losses globally, as they significantly affect the reproduction and profitability of livestock, particularly cattle, sheep and pigs, with emergency management costs in the event of an outbreak that would reach up to USD 200 billion a year, against an estimated prevention expenditure of around USD 20 billion" Not only that,
From 3 bacteria also a risk to human health
Furthermore, the three bacteria (C. burnetii, C. abortus and B. suis.) 'also pose a risk to public health as pathogens that can be transmitted directly from infected animals to humans'.
"Currently, our activities are focused on the production of antigens, i.e. molecules present on pathogenic viruses and bacteria that are recognised by the immune system to activate a specific defence response,' explains Selene Baschieri, researcher in the Green Biotechnology Laboratory at the Department of Sustainability and project coordinator. 'These antigens represent fundamental biological tools and will be used for the formulation of new vaccines, if in vitro and in vivo tests confirm their effectiveness in activating immune responses capable of conferring protection in animals.
The help of the technology platform
The activity is conducted with the help of Plant Molecular Farming, a technological platform developed and perfected by ENEA over more than 20 years of research, which exploits plants as a 'biofactory' for the production of biopharmaceuticals. As for how it works, it is quickly explained. 'In order to produce viral and bacterial antigens or antibodies,' argue the agency, 'researchers introduce the genetic information necessary for the synthesis of biopharmaceuticals into the plant Nicotiana benthamiana, a species of wild tobacco, exploiting the natural ability of the soil bacterium Agrobacterium tumefaciens to transfer genetic material into plant cells. The plant then produces the biomolecule in its tissues from where it can be extracted and purified'. As for the costs and production times of biomolecules, as Maria Elena Villani, researcher and project dissemination manager, adds, 'with Plant Molecular Farming they are significantly lower than with biological drugs produced in mammalian cell cultures. From idea to product may only take a few weeks. Moreover, these technologies could be more accessible for developing countries, where zoonotic diseases, i.e. transmissible from animals to humans, are often more widespread and the infrastructure for traditional pharmaceutical production is poor''.
