Nanometric Virus-Like Particles: Key Tools for Vaccine and Adjuvant Technology.

The ideal vaccine should trigger a specific response against pathogens and induce the immune system memory to be prepared for eventual following infections. Although different approaches to develop new vaccines are currently taken, several of the features of natural pathogens that allow a tailored immune reaction are difficult to mimic. The viral capsids are the physical interface between a virus and the host defense machinery which recognizes specific patterns of the viral supramolecular complexes. Therefore, empty viral particles deprived of their genomes represent optimal targets to induce immune reactions with several advantages for vaccination and adjuvant realization.