Virus‐Like Particle Engineering: From Rational Design to Versatile Applications

Abstract

As mimicking natural virus structures, virus-like particles (VLPs) have evolved to become a widely accepted technology used for humans which are safe, highly efficacious, and profitable. Several remarkable advantages have been achieved to revolutionize the molecule delivery for diverse applications in nanotechnology, biotechnology, and medicine. Here, the rational structure design, manufacturing process, functionalization strategy, and emerging applications of VLPs is reviewed. The situation and challenges in the VLP engineering, the key development orientation, and future applications have been discussed. To develop a good VLP design concept, the virus/VLP-host interactions need to be examined and the screening methods of the VLP stabilization factors need to be established. The functionalization toolbox can be expanded to fabricate smart, robust, and multifunctional VLPs. Novel robust VLP manufacturing platforms are required to deliver vaccines in resource-poor regions with a significant reduction in the production time and cost. The future applications of VLPs are always driven by the development of emerging technologies and new requirements of modern life.

Prospects on the Use of Schizochytrium sp. to Develop Oral Vaccines

“…are needed to understand and ultimately manipulate the immune responses induced by the vaccine. In terms of antigen design, studying the potential to produce virus like particles, antibody-antigen immunocomplexes, and adjuvant-antigen fusions are relevant, pending goals (Wen et al, 2016 ; Ding et al, 2018 ).…”

Virus-Like Particles as an Instrument of Vaccine Production

“…Therefore, apart from all other advantages of the vaccines of this kind, they appear to be improved in terms of biological safety. Vaccines based on the presentation of a subset of antigenic determinants of the infectious agent are characterized by a high level of reproducibility when commercially manufactured and are highly effective [21], since in this case, the immune response is directed exclusively against the most significant antigenic elements of the pathogenic microorganism or tumor.…”

“…The strong immunogenic properties of VLPs are determined by several factors. First of all, the dominant epitope of the structural protein is displayed as a part of the particle and is present in a multimeric form as is the case with a native virion [21]. Second, VLPs stimulate B-lymphocytes and induce T-lymphocytes in the same manner as does the virus infecting the host organism [30].…”

Hepatitis E virus truncated capsid protein as a potential carrier of exogenous antigens for the development of chimeric virus-like particle vaccines

“…A virus-like particle, is a vacant multiprotein structure and doesn't contain virial genome, which is formed by the self-assembly of several copies of a given protein expressed in a given expression system [10,11]. VLPs can stimulate robust humoral and cellular immunity responses via several mechanisms, including mimicking the structure and conformation of the native virus, possessing repetitive elements, and larger dimensions [12][13][14]. Given these unique characteristics, VLPs became interesting in vaccine design and development, employed as platforms presenting exogenous 4 antigens [13,15] and as carriers to deliver nucleic acids, drugs, and proteins [16].…”