A virus-like particle vaccine confers protection against enterovirus D68 lethal challenge in mice. Issue 5 (29th January 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Dai, Wenlong; Zhang, Chao; Zhang, Xueyang; Xiong, Pei; Liu, Qingwei; Gong, Sitang; Geng, Lanlan; Zhou, Dongming; Huang, Zhong
• Is Part Of: Vaccine. Volume 36:Issue 5(2018)
• Page Start: 653
• Page End: 659
• Publication Date: 2018-01-29
• Subjects: Enterovirus D68 -- Virus-like particle -- Vaccine; Vaccines -- Periodicals; 615.372
• DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2017.12.057
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0264-410X

Abstract

Abstract: Enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) is increasingly associated with severe acute respiratory infection and acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) in children around the world. However, neither vaccines nor therapeutic drugs are available for EV-D68. Here we report the development of a virus-like particle (VLP) based experimental EV-D68 vaccine. We found that EV-D68 VLPs could be successfully generated in insect cells infected with a recombinant baculovirus co-expressing the P1 precursor and 3CD protease of EV-D68. Biochemical and electron microscopic analyses revealed that EV-D68 VLPs were composed of VP0, VP1, and VP3 capsid proteins derived from precursor P1 and were visualized as spherical particles of ∼30 nm in diameter. Immunization of mice with EV-D68 VLPs resulted in the production of serum antibodies that displayed potent serotype-specific neutralizing activities against EV-D68 virus in vitro . Passive transfer of anti-VLP sera completely protected neonatal recipient mice from lethal EV-D68 infection. Moreover, maternal immunization with these VLPs provided full protection against lethal EV-D68 challenge in suckling mice. Together, these results demonstrate that the recombinant EV-D68 VLP is a promising vaccine candidate against EV-D68 infection.