Adenovirus-Based Expression Vectors and Recombinant Vaccines

Abstract

This chapter reviews adenovirus-based expression vectors and recombinant vaccines. A powerful new approach to the development of vaccines is the use of microorganisms as engineered vectors for expression of genes from heterologous species. Such vectors are used in two major ways, that is, as high-level expression systems for production of antigens, or as live recombinant vaccines. It seems likely that different vectors have relative advantages and disadvantages for different applications and the development of several systems in parallel seems worthwhile. The chapter describes some of the merits and potential problems associated with the use of adenoviruses as expression vectors for production of proteins in mammalian cells, and as recombinant vaccines for immunization of humans and animals against disease. From all of the studies performed to date, human adenoviruses have considerable potential as expression vectors and live-virus vaccines for a wide variety of human and animal diseases. It has been suggested that a well-characterized adenovirus serotype, such as human adenovirus type 5, is suited to the development of oral vaccines for use in children.