Recent Advances in Designing Adeno-Associated Virus-Based Vaccines Against Viral Infections

• Published in: Pharmaceutics Vol. 16; no. 11; p. 1360
• Main Authors: Mnyandu, Njabulo, Jacobs, Ridhwaanah, Arbuthnot, Patrick, Maepa, Mohube Betty
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 01.11.2024; MDPI
• Subjects: adeno-associated viral vectors; Antibodies; Antigens; Coronavirus infections; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; Cytotoxicity; Dendritic cells; Disease transmission; Epidemics; FDA approval; Gene therapy; Genomes; Health aspects; Immunity (Disease); Infection; Infections; Lymphocytes; Pathogens; Plasmids; Polyethylene glycol; Proteins; Review; RNA; SARS-CoV-2; Vaccination; Vaccines; Vectors (Biology); Viral infections; Viruses; adeno-associated viral vectors; SARS-CoV-2; viral infections; vaccines
• ISSN: 1999-4923; 1999-4923
• DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics16111360

Over 80% of the world’s deadliest pandemics are caused by viral infections, and vaccination remains the most effective way to prevent these infections from spreading. Since the discovery of the first vaccine over two centuries ago, several vaccine design technologies have been developed. Next-generation vaccines, based on mRNA and viral vector technologies, have recently emerged as alternatives to traditional vaccines. Adenoviral vector-based vaccines against coronavirus disease 2019 have demonstrated a more sustained antibody response as compared to mRNA vaccines. However, this has not been without complications, with a few cases of severe adverse events identified in vaccinated individuals, and the underlying mechanism is the subject of intense investigation. Adeno-associated viral vectors induce a weaker cellular immune response compared to adenoviral vectors, and it is mainly for this reason that there has been a diminished interest in exploring them as a vaccine platform until recently. This review will discuss recent developments and the potential of adeno-associated viral vectors as anti-viral vaccines.