Antibody production in plants

The most widely studied therapeutic proteins produced in plants include monoclonal antibodies for passive immunotherapy and antigens for use as oral vaccines [40]. Antibodies against dental caries, rheumatoid arthritis, cholera, E. coli diarrhea, malaria, certain cancers, Norwalk virus, HIV, rhinovirus, influenza, hepatitis B virus and herpes simplex virus have been produced in transgenic plants. However, the anti-Streptococcus mutans secretory antibody for the prevention of dental caries is the only plant-derived antibody currently in Phase II clinical trials [40]. Until recently, most antibodies were expressed in tobacco, potato, alfalfa, soybean, rice and wheat [9], It has been estimated that for every 170 tons of harvested tobacco, 100 tons represents harvested leaves. A single hectare could thus yield 50 kg of secretory IgA [3, 41]. Furthermore, it has been estimated that the cost of antibody production in plants is half that in transgenic animals and 20 times lower than in mammalian cell cul-... 

Russell DA. Feasibility of antibody production in plants for human therapeutic use. Curr. Top. Microbiol. Immunol., 1999 240 119-138. 

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