The development of a plant-based vaccine for measles.

Plant-based vaccination strategies have the potential to overcome the limitations of the current measles vaccine. The measles virus hemagglutinin (MV-H) protein has been expressed in tobacco. Oral immunisation of mice with plant-derived MV-H protein resulted in MV-specific antibodies and secretory IgA, indicative of humoral and mucosal immune responses. In addition, boosting with oral plant-derived MV-H protein following a MV-H DNA prime, resulted in a greater response than could be induced with either vaccine alone. Collectively, this research represents a significant step towards an effective oral measles vaccine that would be temperature-stable, easy to administer and amenable to inexpensive manufacture.