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Table 2 Features of vaccines [59, 60]

From: Advances in the design and development of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines

Type

Principle

Advantages

Disadvantages

Viral vector vaccines

Insertion of the gene encoding the protective exogenous antigen into a viral vector to express the target protein in the body

Can insert long exogenous genes and use multiple inoculation routes

High delivery efficiency

Both cellular and mucosal immunity can be induced

Easy to manufacture

No adjuvant is required

The viral vector may interfere with the immune response to the target antigen

Preexisting immunity may interfere with the vaccine effect

Low safety

DNA vaccines

DNA vaccines are based on a eukaryotic expression vector encoding a certain protein antigen which is injected into the animal directly, so that the exogenous gene is expressed in vivo, and the antigen activates the body's immune system, thereby inducing specific humoral and cellular immune responses

Uses the host protein translation system to generate target antigens

Induces both humoral and cellular immune responses

Low cost

Easy to mass manufacture and no need for cold chain transportation

There is a potential safety issue of DNA integration into the host genome

RNA vaccines

The mRNA vaccines use a synthetic mRNA encoding the translated antigen that is formulated in vitro and delivered into the body for translation into antigenic proteins by host cells

Easy and fast to produce

Much safer than DNA vaccines

Higher immunogenicity than DNA vaccines

Can deliver multiple antigens at the same time

Poor stability

May cause adverse reactions

Live-attenuated vaccines

A virus that is less virulent but still immunogenic and capable of replicating inside the body

Strong immunogenicity

Sustained systemic and mucosal immune responses can be induced

Low safety

Difficult to preserve and easy to inactivate

Slow development and high screening effort

The timing of the attenuation is unknown

Large-scale culture of highly virulent pathogens must be done in a BSL3 facility

Inactivated virus vaccines

A whole-virus vaccine made from cultured wild-type viruses by physical or chemical inactivation processes

Easy to obtain

Shorter cycle of early research

Mature technology

Similar to live viruses

No concern surrounding reversion to virulence

Much safer than live-attenuated vaccines

High risks

BSL3 facility

Can cause harmful reactions

The immune effect is poor, requiring multiple doses and times

Adjuvant may be required

Recombinant protein vaccines

It consists of purified recombinant proteins

Clear composition

Excellent safety

High stability

Scalable production

Poor immunogenicity

Adjuvants are indispensable

Bionic nanoparticle vaccines

It consists of purified recombinant proteins and bionic nanoparticles

Clear composition

Excellent safety

High stability

Scalable production

High efficiency

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