Lettuce As Anti-Tuberculosis Vaccine

Researchers from Belozersky Institute of Physical and Chemical Biology of Moscow State University have developed a technology for producing anti-tuberculosis vaccine from plants.

Plants can produce desired proteins, called antigens (they have nothing to do with genes, actually), which stimulate maturation of immune cells, such as B- and T-lymphocytes.

Scientists from MSU have developed a technique, which allows synthesizing antigens for Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Said proteins are now clinically tested as anti-tuberculosis vaccines. Russian know-how makes antigens more stable with concentration reaching 1 g per 1 kg of fresh leaves.

Vaccine proteins can be introduced into food products, thus protecting people from hazardous diseases.