流感病毒M2蛋白胞外区与铜绿假单胞菌外毒素A融合蛋白的表达及其免疫原性研究

Construction,Expression and Immunogenicity Analysis of a Fusion Protein Containing M2e of Influenza A Virus Fused to a Modified Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Exotoxin A

本研究构建了表达甲型流感病毒M2蛋白胞外区与铜绿假单胞菌外毒素A(PEA)融合蛋白的原核表达载体,根据铜绿假单胞菌外毒素A(PEA)核苷酸序列设计突变PCR引物并实施突变PCR,以获得PEA基因编码区第553位氨基酸密码子缺失的突变PEA(ntPE),从而产生无毒性的PEA突变基因,然后用合成的M2e编码区替换ntPE基因中的非必需区Ib,产生ntPE-M2e嵌合基因。将该嵌合基因导入pET表达载体以构建原核表达载体,将表达产物胶回收后与弗氏不完全佐剂联合皮下免疫BALB/c小鼠,终免两周后用5个LD50流感病毒A/PR/34/8株进行攻击。取动物血清作ELISA并取脾脏作ELISPOT试验结果表明,免疫组可以诱导小鼠产生抗M2e特异性抗体反应和细胞免疫反应并能够抑制病毒在肺内的复制。本研究为甲型流感病毒广谱疫苗的进一步研发打下了基础。

M2 protein of type A influenza virus is a good candidate for universal influenza vaccine,exotoxin A of Pseudomonas aeruginosa may facilitate the immunogenicity of M2 protein. We constructed and expressed a prokaryotic expression plasmid containing a chimeric gene of M2 extracellular coding region and a partial PEA gene,and observed the immunoprotection in BALB/c mice vaccinated with the fusion protein. The fusion protein （ntPE-M2e） was generated by inserting the coding sequence of the M2e in place of Ib loop in PEA. This fusion protein was used to immunize BALB/c mice by subcutaneously injection with incomplete Freund＇s adjuvant and boost at weeks 3 and 7. The immunized mice were challenged with influenza virus strain A/PR/34/8. The fusion protein （ntPE-M2e） immunization protected mice against lethal viral challenge. ELISA and ELISPOT results demonstrated that the fusion protein could induce a strong systemic immune response against synthetic M2e peptide,and virus replication in the lungs of mice was inhibited in comparison with the control. This study provides foundation for developing broad-spectrum vaccines against type A influenza viruses.