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Recombinant DNA Technology and Gene Therapy Using Viruses
Published in Patricia G. Melloy, Viruses and Society, 2023
Besides using viruses as vaccines to induce antibody protection in the body, scientists are developing viruses to deliver the antibodies themselves, by expressing broadly neutralizing antibodies for therapy (Mietzsch and Agbandje-McKenna 2017; Lin and Balazs 2018). Bacteriophages, viruses that infect bacteria, are experiencing renewed interest as alternatives to antibiotics or as a treatment in cases of antibiotic resistance (Salmond and Fineran 2015; Lostroh 2019). Other researchers are exploring the use of viruses and virus-like particles (VLPs) derived from viruses to bring drugs to certain areas of the body that cannot be reached through conventional drug delivery methods. For example, scientists are using VLPs derived from a flock house virus to deliver a chemotherapy drug directly to tumor cells (Ghosh and Banerjee 2021). As you can see, modified viruses are being utilized for many different types of therapies to treat all different kinds of diseases, from the preventative stage as a vaccine onward to first-line treatments and beyond.
Order Nodamuvirales
Published in Paul Pumpens, Peter Pushko, Philippe Le Mercier, Virus-Like Particles, 2022
Paul Pumpens, Peter Pushko, Philippe Le Mercier
While Nodamura virus (NoV) serves as a type species of the Alphanodavirus genus, another alphanodavirus, namely Flock House virus (FHV), appeared to be of special importance for development of the viral nanotechnology field.
Synthesis and Characterization of Nanoparticles as Potential Viral and Antiviral Agents
Published in Devarajan Thangadurai, Saher Islam, Charles Oluwaseun Adetunji, Viral and Antiviral Nanomaterials, 2022
Deepthi Panoth, Sindhu Thalappan Manikkoth, Fabeena Jahan, Kunnambeth Madam Thulasi, Anjali Paravannoor, Baiju Kizhakkekilikoodayil Vijayan
Vaccines hold a great promise for the treatment of chronic diseases such as cancer and for the prevention of infectious diseases. In the current COVID-19 outbreak, the swift development of a safe and effective vaccination platform is immediately required. Viruses act as a convenient tool for the development of novel vaccines, owing to their repetitive proteinaceous structure, pathogen-related molecular patterns, and particulate nature. These significant characteristics evoke immune responses, thus making them advantageous for the development of vaccines. VNPs are engineered for the vaccine purpose by three basic strategies: (i) VNPs are altered to be noninfectious by chemical treatment, (ii) noninfectious, genome-free VLPs are developed in heterologous expression systems, and finally, (iii) Chimeric VNPs are fabricated via genetic engineering. Even though immunogenicity is a major requirement for vaccine development, it decreases the efficiency of VNPs for drug delivery and imaging necessities. Thus, shielding of VNPs from the immune system must be achieved for their effective use as vaccines or immunomodulators. The most familiar strategy is the binding of polyethylene glycol chains to the outer surface, known as PEGlyation. The approach increases stability and plasma circulation time and reduces immunogenicity and bispecific interactions (Steinmetz and Manchester 2009). Chimeric VLPs with complex antigen structures have been established based on Flock House virus (FHV), a virus that infects insects. A portion of anthrax toxin receptor (ANTXR2), which acts as a scaffold to display the Bacillus anthracis protective antigen, has been included with the multivalent display system of FHV. This virus-antigen complex trigger shielded immune responses in the absence of adjuvant, even after a single dose (Manayani et al. 2007). Many efforts have been taken for the development of VNP-based cancer vaccines that encompass a patterned display of tumour-associated peptide or carbohydrate antigens. For instance, a glycoprotein Tn antigen that is over expressed on several cancer cells (like colon, prostate. and breast cells) is chemically displayed by CPMV scaffolds. Bioconjugation of the scaffold and multivalent display results in the formation of Tn specific antibodies in high titre (Miermont et al. 2008).
Wolbachia-Virus interactions and arbovirus control through population replacement in mosquitoes
Published in Pathogens and Global Health, 2023
Thomas H Ant, Maria Vittoria Mancini, Cameron J McNamara, Stephanie M Rainey, Steven P Sinkins
Two studies report an enhancement effect of Wolbachia on viral infection in Drosophila species. Martinez et al. 2014 [100] tested germline transinfections with 19 Wolbachia strains in Drosophila simulans, and challenged the lines with Drosophila C virus (DCV) and Flock House virus (FHV), (+)RNA viruses from the Picornaviridae and Nodaviridae families, respectively. For DCV, 7 out of the 19 Wolbachia lines showed a significant reduction in viral titer compared to Wolbachia-negative controls, while one showed a significant increase. For FHV 5 out of the 19 lines showed a significant reduction in viral titer, while one showed a significant increase. Interestingly, the Wolbachia strain associated with increased DCV titer was not the same as the strain associated with increased FHV titer – each strain correlated with increased titers of one virus showed no significant interaction with the other.