Vaccination is undeniably on of the most impactful of all medical inventions. The invention has been in use for a couple of centuries, so it is already familiar to everyone, but the significance of the recently approved mRNA vaccines in the reopening of society highlights the need for technological development in this field as well. Although new mRNA vaccines are rapid to develop and implement, they have several weaknesses that make the development of new vaccine tools worthwhile.
One of the most interesting modern vaccine technologies are virus-like particle vaccines. Compared to RNA, virus-like particles are very stable and easy to handle. The stability of the vaccine affects its effectiveness, shelf life, and also production yields.
Virus-like particles are protein shells of viruses that do not contain the virus's genome but externally resemble the natural virus. They cannot cause viral infection but act as effective vaccines precisely because of their virus-like properties. Virus-like particles have been used for years, for example, in papillomavirus vaccines. In 2021, a new type of vaccine against malaria, Mosquirix, was approved, in which parts of the malaria parasite are presented on the surface of a hepatitis virus-like particle.
In his research, Vili Lampinen modified a norovirus-like particle so that any soluble protein can be attached to the particle's surface simply by mixing the proteins with the particles in a water solution. This results in a similar coated particle as in the Mosquirix vaccine but with significantly shorter development time.
– Among viruses, noroviruses are in a class of their own in terms of stability. Headlines about norovirus epidemics on cruise ships and stomach bugs circulating within travel groups or families serve as a good indication of how difficult it is to eradicate norovirus from surfaces. Norovirus-like particles remain very stable even after the modifications we have made, which studying them easier and is a promising sign for commercial vaccine use, Lampinen explains.
During the research project, modified norovirus-like particles were coated with conserved parts of the influenza virus. When mice were vaccinated with these vaccine candidates, immune responses were generated against parts of influenza that are common to various influenza viruses over a long period. The results could help in the development of future influenza vaccines that would need to be renewed every 15 years instead of annually.
Similarly, a vaccine containing parts of the mouse's own PCSK9 or furin proteins on the surface of a norovirus-like particle induced mice to produce antibodies against their own proteins. Further research based on these vaccine candidates could lead to vaccines against high cholesterol or cancer, diseases that have not been treated with vaccines before.
– In recent years, therapeutic antibodies have been approved to treat many non-communicable diseases, such as Alzheimer's, high cholesterol, and cancer. At least in principle, all of these approved antibody drugs can be produced directly in the patient's own body with a suitable vaccine. Easily customizable norovirus-like particles are a great tool for developing these next-generation vaccines, says Lampinen.
Public defense on Friday 8 March
The doctoral dissertation of MSc Vili Lampinen in the field of molecular biology, titled Engineering of Norovirus-like Particles for Vaccine Applications will be publicly examined at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology at Tampere University at 13 o’clock on Friday 8th March 2024 in the auditorium F115 of the Arvo building (Arvo Ylpön katu 34, Tampere). The Opponent will be Professor Adam Sander from the University of Copenhagen while Professor Vesa Hytönen from Tampere University will act as the Custos.
The doctoral dissertation is available online
The public defense can be followed via a remote connection
Photo: Jonne Renvall/Tampere University