Self-Assembling Protein Nanoparticles in the Design of Vaccines: 2022 Update

Abstract

Vaccines constitute a pillar in the prevention of infectious diseases. The unprecedented emergence of novel immunization strategies due to the COVID-19 pandemic has again positioned vaccination as a pivotal measure to protect humankind and reduce the clinical impact and socioeconomic burden worldwide. Vaccination pursues the ultimate goal of eliciting a protective response in immunized individuals. To achieve this, immunogens must be efficiently delivered to prime the immune system and produce robust protection. Given their safety, immunogenicity, and flexibility to display varied and native epitopes, self-assembling protein nanoparticles represent one of the most promising immunogen delivery platforms. Currently marketed vaccines against the human papillomavirus, for instance, illustrate the potential of these nanoassemblies. This review is intended to provide novelties, since 2015, on the ground of vaccine design and self-assembling protein nanoparticles, as well as a comparison with the current emergence of mRNA-based vaccines.