To develop a safe and broad-spectrum effective hepatitis C virus (HCV) T cell vaccine,we constructed the recombinant adenovirus-based vaccine that carried the hepatitis C virus truncated NS3 and core fusion proteins. The expression of the fusion antigen was confirmed by in vitro immunofluorescence and western blotting assays. Our results indicated that this vaccine not only stimulated antigen-specific antibody responses,but also activated strong NS3-specific T cell immune responses. NS3-specific IFN-γ+ and TNF-α+ CD4+ T cell subsets were also detected by a intracellular cytokine secretion assay. In a surrogate challenge assay based on a recombinant heterologous HCV (JFH1,2a) vaccinia virus,the recombinant adenovirus-based vaccine was capable of eliciting effective levels of cross-protection. These findings have im- portant implications for the study of HCV immune protection and the future development of a novel vaccine.
Adenoviridae ; genetics ; metabolism ; Animals ; CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes ; immunology ; Cross Protection ; Female ; Genetic Vectors ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Hepacivirus ; genetics ; immunology ; Hepatitis C ; immunology ; prevention & control ; virology ; Humans ; Interferon-gamma ; immunology ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Recombinant Proteins ; administration & dosage ; genetics ; immunology ; Viral Core Proteins ; administration & dosage ; genetics ; immunology ; Viral Hepatitis Vaccines ; administration & dosage ; genetics ; immunology ; Viral Nonstructural Proteins ; administration & dosage ; genetics ; immunology

HPV16 L2E7 is a fusion protein used for therapeutical vaccine targeting HPV virus. To increase its expression in Escherichia coli, we optimized the codon usage of HPV16 l2e7 gene based on its codon usage bias. The optimized gene of HPV16 sl2e7 was cloned into three different vectors: pGEX-5X-1, pQE30, ET41a, and expressed in JM109, JM109 (DE3) and BL21 (DE3) lines separately. A high expression line was selected with pET41a vector in BL21 (DE3) cells. After optimization of the growth condition, including inoculation amount, IPTG concentration, induction time and temperature, the expression level of HPV16 L2E7 was increased from less than 10% to about 28% of total protein. HPV16 L2E7 protein was then purified from 15 L culture by means of SP Sepharose Fast Flow, Q Sepharose Fast Flow and Superdex 200 pg. After renaturing, HPV16 L2E7 protein with ≥ 95% purity was achieved, which was confirmed via SDS-PAGE gel and Western blotting. The combined use of purified HPV16 L2E7 and CpG helper has shown clear inhibition of tumor growth in mice injected with tumor cells, with six out of eight mice shown no sign of tumor. This study lays a solid foundation for a new pipeline of large-scale vaccine production.
Animals ; Capsid Proteins ; biosynthesis ; Codon ; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel ; Escherichia coli ; Genetic Vectors ; Human papillomavirus 16 ; Mice ; Neoplasms, Experimental ; prevention & control ; Oncogene Proteins, Viral ; biosynthesis ; Papillomavirus E7 Proteins ; biosynthesis ; Papillomavirus Vaccines ; therapeutic use ; Recombinant Fusion Proteins ; biosynthesis

Antibodies, Monoclonal ; chemistry ; immunology ; Antigens, Viral ; chemistry ; genetics ; immunology ; Binding Sites ; Capsid Proteins ; chemistry ; genetics ; immunology ; Epitopes ; chemistry ; genetics ; immunology ; Escherichia coli ; genetics ; metabolism ; Gene Expression ; Hepatitis E ; immunology ; prevention & control ; virology ; Hepatitis E virus ; chemistry ; immunology ; Humans ; Molecular Docking Simulation ; Mutagenesis, Site-Directed ; Peptide Mapping ; Protein Binding ; Recombinant Proteins ; chemistry ; genetics ; immunology ; Viral Hepatitis Vaccines ; administration & dosage ; biosynthesis

To construct and express a composite gene vaccine for human papillomavirus 58(HPV58)-associated cervical cancer, we inserted HPV58mE6E7 fusion gene into pCI-Fc-GPI eukaryotic expression vector, constructing a recombinant plasmid named pCI-sig-HPV58mE6E7-Fc-GPI. Then we further inserted fragment of sig-HPV58mE6E7Fc-GPI into the novel vaccine vector PVAX1-IRES-GM/B7, constructing PVAX1-HPV58mE6E7FcGB composite gene vaccine. PVAX1-HPV58mE6E7FcGB vaccine was successfully constructed and identified by restriction endonuclease and sequencing analysis. Eukaryotic expression of fusion antigen sig-HPV58mE6E7-Fc-GPI and molecular ad-juvant GM-CSF and B7. 1 were proved to be realized at the same time by flow cytometry and immunofluorescence. So PVAX1-HPV58mE6E7FcGB can be taken as a candidate of therapeutic vaccine for HPV58-associated tumors and their precancerous transformations.
Cancer Vaccines ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Capsid Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Female ; Humans ; Oncogene Proteins, Viral ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Papillomavirus E7 Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Papillomavirus Vaccines ; biosynthesis ; Recombinant Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; immunology ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms ; prevention & control ; Vaccines, DNA ; biosynthesis

In order to increase the expression level of target gene and to simplify the purifying process of separation and purification, we performed the transgenetic research of antigen VP7 gene into peanut via Agrobacterium tumefaciens. The plant binary expression vector is pBOG3VP7 harboring fusion gene oleosin-vp7, which is promoted by ole-promoter. Cotyledon nodes were used as transformation recipients. Transformed individuals were obtained through selection on medium containing 125 mg L-1 Kan. Integration of transgenes was assessed by PCR amplification and PCR-Southern blot hybridization. Taking pBOG3VP7 plasmid as positive control, non-transformed peanut as negative control. 6 plants among 11 plants grown up through seletion medium were detected by PCR and the rate of positive plants is 54.5%. PCR positive plants were further analysed by PCR-Southern blot hybridization. The results showed that 3 plants have DNA bloting bands. The results also showed that the foreign gene was integrated into genome of transformed peanuts. Elevated expression of rotavirus VP7 antigen in transgenic peanuts was a critical factor in the development of efficient and cheap plant oral vaccine.
Agrobacterium tumefaciens ; genetics ; Antigens, Viral ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Arachis ; genetics ; metabolism ; Capsid Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Plants, Genetically Modified ; genetics ; metabolism ; Rotavirus ; genetics ; immunology ; Transformation, Genetic ; Vaccines, Synthetic

The N-terminal of porcine parvovirus (PPV) viral protein 2 (VP2) links a glycine-rich domain which is a cleavage site of PPV VP3.In order to confirm that the glycine-rich domain was essential for the self-assembling of virus-like particles (VLPs).The VP2 gene with glycine-rich domain deleted and the complete VP2 gene were inserted to eukaryotic expression vector pCI-neo and were named pCI-AVP2 and pCI-VP2. Then, pCI-delta VP2, pCI-VP2 and pCI-neo were transferred into Vero Cells by liposome and the VLPs was detected by SDS-PAGE, Western blotting, indirect immunofluorescence and immunoelectron microscopy. Furthermore, 56 female Kunming mice were divided into 5 groups and injected intramuscularly with pCI-delta VP2, pCI-VP2 and pCI-neo as DNA vaccine, PPV inactivated vaccine and normal saline separately. The peripheral blood of the mice was collected to analyze the subgroups of the peripheral blood mononuclear cell by flow cytometry, to detect the antibody and lymphocyte proliferation by indirect-ELISA and MTT assay separately. The results show that the VLPs were observed both in the pCI-delta VP2 and pCI-VP2 transferred Vero Cells. The two VLPs could agglutinate guinea pig erythrocytes. The results also show that both the pCI-delta VP2 and pCI-VP2 vaccine induced special cellular and humoral immunity effectively. Those results revealed that the glycine-rich domain is not essential for the VPL's self-assembling. This study provides a new theoretical evidence for the relationship between the gene structure and protein function of VP2.
Animals ; Antigens, Viral ; genetics ; metabolism ; Capsid Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Cercopithecus aethiops ; Female ; Genetic Vectors ; genetics ; Glycine ; Mice ; Sequence Deletion ; Swine ; Transfection ; Vaccination ; Vaccines, Virus-Like Particle ; biosynthesis ; immunology ; Vero Cells

Matrix protein 2(M2) is an integral tetrameric membrane protein of influenza A virus, which functions as ion channel. M2 sequence has shown remarkable conservation, so there has been growing interest in it as "universal" vaccine. In order to establish a stable 293 cell line that express M2 protein under the control of the tetracycline operator, M2 gene was obtained by PCR amplification from the plasmid containing the segment 7 of influenza A virus strain A/PR/8/34 firstly. The PCR product was cloned into BamH I/Not I restriction site of pcDNA5/FRT/TO vector, and cotransfected with pOG44 which express Flp recombinase into Flp-In T-REx-293 cell. Integration of pcDNA5/FRT/TO-M2 into the cell genome at the Flp Recombination Target (FRT) site brought the SV40 promoter and the initiation codon in frame with the hygromycin resistance gene. Thus, stable cell lines were selected for hygromycin resistance. The expression of M2 protein from hygromycin-resistant cell was induced by addition of tetracycline into the cell culture media, and then tested by indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA). 16 strains with high expression of M2 were selected. After subculturing for more than ten passages, the cell lines still stably expressed M2 protein. No M2 protein could be detected without tetracycline induction, suggesting that the expression was strictly controlled by tetracycline operator. The cell lines expressing M2 will be useful for further functional studies of M2 protein, detection of immune response against natural structure M2 protein and development of live attenuated influenza virus vaccine with reverse genetics technique.
Animals ; Cloning, Molecular ; Gene Expression ; Genetic Vectors ; genetics ; HEK293 Cells ; Humans ; Influenza A virus ; genetics ; metabolism ; Influenza Vaccines ; genetics ; Operator Regions, Genetic ; Recombinant Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Tetracycline ; pharmacology ; Transfection ; Viral Matrix Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics

There is a great need for new vaccine development against influenza A viruses due to the drawbacks of traditional vaccines that are mainly prepared using embryonated eggs. The main component of the current split influenza A virus vaccine is viral hemagglutinin (HA) which induces a strong antibody-mediated immune response. To develop a modern vaccine against influenza A viruses, the current research has been focused on the universal vaccines targeting viral M2, NP and HA proteins. Crystallographic studies have shown that HA forms a trimer embedded on the viral envelope surface, and each monomer consists of a globular head (HA1) and a "rod-like" stalk region (HA2), the latter being more conserved among different HA subtypes and being the primary target for universal vaccines. In this study, we rationally designed the HA head based on the crystal structure of the 2009-pandemic influenza A (H1N1) virus HA as a model, tested its immunogenicity in mice, solved its crystal structure and further examined its immunological characteristics. The results show that the HA globular head can be easily prepared by in vitro refolding in an E. coli expression system, which maintains its intact structure and allows for the stimulation of a strong immune response. Together with recent reports on some similar HA globular head preparations we conclude that structure-based rational design of the HA globular head can be used for subtype-specific vaccines against influenza viruses.
Animals ; Antibodies, Viral ; immunology ; Crystallography, X-Ray ; Drug Design ; Female ; Freund's Adjuvant ; administration & dosage ; Hemagglutinin Glycoproteins, Influenza Virus ; genetics ; immunology ; Humans ; Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype ; genetics ; immunology ; Influenza Vaccines ; administration & dosage ; biosynthesis ; Influenza, Human ; immunology ; prevention & control ; virology ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Models, Molecular ; Protein Folding ; Recombinant Proteins ; genetics ; immunology ; Structure-Activity Relationship ; Vaccination ; Vaccines, Subunit ; administration & dosage ; biosynthesis

In order to obtain a virus-like particle vaccine both for porcine parvovirus (PPV) prevention and growth-promotion, VP2 gene of PPV NJ-a strain was amplified with PCR, and four copies of synthetic somatostatin gene were fused to the N-terminal of VP2 gene. The fused gene was cloned into pFast-HT A to construct the recombinant plasmid pFast-SS4-VP2, then the pFast-SS4-VP2 was transformed into DH10Bac competent cells and recombined with shuttle vector Bacmid, followed by identification with blue-white screening and PCR analysis for three cycles, and the positive recombinant was named as rBacmid-SS4-VP2. The positive Sf-9 cells were transfected with rBacmid-SS4-VP2 by Lipofectamine to produce recombinant baculovirus. When the cytopathic effect (CPE) was obvious, the transfected Sf-9 cell was harvested, and the positive recombinant virus was named as rBac-SS4-VP2. The insertion for the target gene into baculovirus genome was confirmed with PCR. SDS-PAGE and Western blotting revealed that the calculated protein of approximately 68 kDa was in the expressed in the insect cells. The Sf-9 cells infected with rBac-SS4-VP2 were stained positive against PPV antibody using the indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA). Moreover, the virus particle self-assembly was observed under electron microscopy. 90 four-week-old mice were immunized by the recombinant protein coupled with different adjuvants alhydrogel, IMS and oil. VP2-specific ELISA antibodies, PPV-specific neutralizing antibody, somatostatin antibody and growth hormone levels were examined to evaluate the immunogenicity of this virus like particle. Results indicated that mice groups immunized rSS4-VP2 protein with alhydrogel and IMS developed similar humoral immune response comparing with inactived PPV vaccine. Mice group immunized with rSS4-VP2 generated higher level of SS antibody and growth hormone comparing with negative control, mice receiving rSS4-VP2 with alhydrogel developed the highest antibody titre than all other groups, while the oil group developed the lowest antibody level. This study provides not only a new rout for production of safe and effective virus like particle subunit vaccine, but also the foundations for peptide presentation and multivalent subunit vaccine design.
Animals ; Antigens, Viral ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Artificial Gene Fusion ; Baculoviridae ; genetics ; Capsid Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Mice ; Parvoviridae Infections ; prevention & control ; Parvovirus, Porcine ; genetics ; immunology ; Recombinant Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; immunology ; Somatostatin ; genetics ; Swine ; Vaccines, Virus-Like Particle ; biosynthesis ; immunology ; Viral Vaccines ; biosynthesis ; immunology ; Virion ; genetics ; immunology

We developed vectors expressing two antigen of H5N1 influenza virus. Based on the human H5N1 avian influenza virus strain A/Anhui/1/2005 isolated in China, we amplified the matrix protein 2 (M2) and Hemagglutinin (HA) genes by PCR and subcloned them into pStar vector to construct two genes co-expressing recombinant DNA vaccine pStar-M2/HA. After transfection of 293 cells with the plasmid, we confirmed with indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) that M2 and HA genes cloned on plasmid pStar co-expressed successfully. Using Ad-Easy adenovirus vector system, by homologous recombination in bacteria and packaging in 293 cells, we constructed two recombinant adenoviruses, namely Ad-M2 and Ad-HA. After infection of 293 cells with the recombinant adenoviruses, we confirmed with IFA that M2 and HA genes cloned into adenoviruses expressed successfully. We then combined the recombinant DNA vaccine and adenoviral vector vaccines in immunization of BALB/c mice with a prime-boost regime. On day 0 and day 28, we immunized the mice with DNA vaccine and on day 14 and day 42, with recombinant adenovirus vaccines. We took blood samples before each injection and 14 days after the final injection. On day 56, we collected splenocytes from the mice. ELISA and hemagglutination inhibition (HI) assay showed that the vaccines successfully induced specific IgG antibodies against HA protein in serum of the immunized mice. ELISPOT confirmed that the vaccines successfully induced the special cellular immune response to M2 and HA protein of H5N1 influenza virus. The study on combined immunization with M2 and HA genes provided basis for development of novel influenza vaccine.
Adenoviridae ; genetics ; metabolism ; Animals ; Female ; Genetic Vectors ; genetics ; Hemagglutinin Glycoproteins, Influenza Virus ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype ; genetics ; immunology ; Influenza Vaccines ; immunology ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Recombinant Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; immunology ; Vaccination ; Vaccines, DNA ; immunology ; Viral Matrix Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics