From the Guidelines
A recombinant vaccine is a type of vaccine created using genetic engineering techniques where scientists insert genes from a disease-causing organism into another cell or organism to produce specific antigens, as described in the context of vaccinia virus engineering 1. This process involves isolating the gene that codes for an important antigen from the pathogen, inserting this gene into a vector (like yeast, bacteria, or mammalian cells), and then growing these cells to produce large quantities of the antigen.
- Common examples include the Hepatitis B vaccine (made in yeast cells), HPV vaccines like Gardasil, and some COVID-19 vaccines.
- Recombinant vaccines offer several advantages: they're safer since they don't contain live pathogens, can be produced more consistently with fewer contaminants, and can be developed more quickly than traditional vaccines. The technology behind recombinant vaccines has been explored for expressing immunizing antigens of various viruses, including herpesvirus, hepatitis B, rabies, influenza, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and others, as noted in studies on vaccinia virus 1.
- The use of genetic engineering to create vaccines allows for targeted immune responses against specific parts of pathogens without exposing people to the actual disease-causing organism.
- This approach has revolutionized vaccine development, enabling the creation of vaccines that are not only effective but also safer and more consistently produced.
From the Research
Definition of Recombinant Vaccine
- A recombinant vaccine is a type of vaccine that uses recombinant DNA technology to produce an antigen, which is then used to stimulate an immune response against a specific disease 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.
- Recombinant vaccines can be made using various expression systems, including live recombinant bacteria or viral vectors, DNA vaccines, and subunit vaccines 2, 4.
Types of Recombinant Vaccines
- Live recombinant bacteria or viral vectors: these vaccines use a weakened or attenuated form of the virus or bacteria to deliver the antigen to the immune system 2, 4.
- DNA vaccines: these vaccines use a piece of DNA that encodes for the antigen, which is then taken up by cells and expressed, stimulating an immune response 2, 5.
- Subunit vaccines: these vaccines use a specific protein or antigen from the virus or bacteria, which is then used to stimulate an immune response 3.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Recombinant Vaccines
- Advantages: recombinant vaccines can be designed to target specific antigens, can be produced in large quantities, and can be used to develop vaccines against diseases for which traditional vaccine approaches have failed 2, 4, 6.
- Disadvantages: recombinant vaccines can be more expensive to produce than traditional vaccines, may require multiple doses to be effective, and can have potential safety risks 3.