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Anthrax: Researchers Investigate Use of Spinach in Vaccine Production By Mike Nartker The process involves genetically engineering the tobacco mosaic virus, a plant virus, to produce anthrax protective antigen, a component of anthrax toxin that is used as a vaccine against the disease. The modified virus is then implanted into spinach plants, where it replicates to produce significant quantities of the antigen, Karasev said. The antigen is then extracted from the spinach and purified using traditional vaccine-production methods, he said. “We are trying to use the nature of [the] virus replication cycle for our own benefits,” Karasev said. Karasev said he and his research team are trying to promote the use of plants as an alternative vaccine-production method because it is cheaper and safer than the current method, which involves extracting the antigen from a nonpathogenic version of the anthrax bacterium itself. The modified tobacco mosaic virus poses no direct risks to humans or animals because it is only pathogenic in plants, he said. University researchers are planning animal tests of the extracted antigen, which will likely involve testing on guinea pigs, mice and rabbits, Karasev said. He expects the tests to be completed this year. The U.S. Navy has expressed interest in this new vaccine-production method and will likely also participate in the animal testing, he said. If the extracted antigen is deemed both safe and effective, the next step “ideally” would be to format spinach itself as a delivery method, Karasev said. For all those who dislike spinach, Karasev said his research team was also testing the process in other leafy vegetables and that some progress has been made using lettuce. Still, “our workhorse is spinach,” he said. For further information, see: CDC Frequently Asked Questions About Anthrax Journal of the American Medical Association Background on Anthrax
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