Vaccines: From Empirical Development to Rational Design

PLoS Pathogens

Carlos A. Guzmán¹  Christine Rueckert¹ 

[1] Department of Vaccinology and Applied Microbiology, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany

关键词: Vaccines;    Immune response;    Antigens;    Immunologic adjuvants;    Vaccine development;    Major histocompatibility complex;    Vaccination;    immunization;    Antibody response;   

DOI  :  10.1371/journal.ppat.1003001

学科分类：生物科学（综合）

来源: Public Library of Science

【 摘 要 】

Infectious diseases are responsible for an overwhelming number of deaths worldwide and their clinical management is often hampered by the emergence of multi-drug-resistant strains. Therefore, prevention through vaccination currently represents the best course of action to combat them. However, immune escape and evasion by pathogens often render vaccine development difficult. Furthermore, most currently available vaccines were empirically designed. In this review, we discuss why rational design of vaccines is not only desirable but also necessary. We introduce recent developments towards specifically tailored antigens, adjuvants, and delivery systems, and discuss the methodological gaps and lack of knowledge still hampering true rational vaccine design. Finally, we address the potential and limitations of different strategies and technologies for advancing vaccine development.

【 授权许可】

CC BY