(Virus-Like) Particles as Platforms for Vaccine Delivery and Modulation of Immune Cell Function

Dear Colleagues,

Our immune system preferentially discriminates between self and non-self antigens, thus contributing to long-term homeostasis. However, not all antigens are the same! Their antigenicity can vary greatly depending on how they enter our body and thus come into contact with our immune system for the first time. Some antigens are introduced in a (water-)soluble form into our body. In contrast, other antigens are part of a smaller or larger particulate context, such as virus particles, bacteria, or even larger microorganisms, while some are associated with fragments of the latter. Previous research has shown that the context in which an antigen becomes introduced into our body can determine the resulting immune response to it. Researchers can now use this knowledge to steer immune responses in different directions. On the one hand, it may be interesting to induce potent effector and memory functions (e.g., against pathogens or tumor cells). In contrast, on the other hand, immune responses may be directed towards regulatory responses (e.g., against autoantigens or allergens). Since the (virus-like) particles themselves can be varied not only in size and physicochemical composition but also in the way they express nominal antigens and transport them to the host organisms, they are ideally suited for the delivery of vaccine antigens and as platforms for triggering immunoregulatory responses.

We encourage all scientists interested in research based on (virus-like) particles and immunomodulation to submit their manuscripts for this Special Issue of Vaccines and guarantee expert and timely peer review.

Dr. Winfried F. Pickl
Guest Editor

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