自Mason等首次报道转基因烟草表达HBsAg以来，近18年中，可表达抗原的范围和宿主植物的种类得到了快速扩展，HBsAg在多种植物中获得表达。植物合成的HBsAg可形成病毒样颗粒，与酵母及哺乳动物细胞来源的乙型肝炎(乙肝)疫苗具有相似的结构和免疫原性，经注射或口服接种可在动物和人体中诱导免疫应答。口服植物源性乙肝疫苗能诱导体液及黏膜免疫应答，作为黏膜疫苗可以扩大现行注射用重组疫苗保护性应答的范围，是安全、廉价和接种简便的新型候选乙肝疫苗。此文主要介绍乙肝疫苗
在转基因植物中的表达及其免疫原性的研究进展。

 Since HBsAg was expressed in transgenic tobacco plant and first reported by Mason et al, the range of expressed antigens and the species of plants have been expanded
rapidly, and HBsAg has been successfully expressed in various plants over the past 18 years. The HBsAg synthesized in plants is able to assemble into virus-like particles and its molecular structure and immunogenicity are similar to those of subunit HBsAg vaccine produced in yeast or mammalian cells, which has displayed high immunogenicity in animals and human after injection or oral administration. Edible transgenic plant-derived hepatitis B vaccine can induce both humoral and mucosal immune responses，which can be a useful supplement to the currently used recombinant injection vaccines as a mucosal vaccine expanding the range of protective responses. It would be a safe, cheap and easily-inoculated candidate hepatitis B vaccine. This paper reviews the advances in the expression and immunogenicity of plant-based hepatitis B vaccine.