Construction of HIV-1 Virus-like Particle Vaccine

The virus-like particle（VLPs） vaccine is an ideal HIV-1 vaccine, which can simultaneously induce a neutralizing antibody reaction and cell-mediated immunity effectively. In this study, two kinds of plasmids have been used, one can express the HIV-1 main structure proteins, Gagpol and Env, and the other contains an antibiotic gene. The two kinds of plasmids have been cotransfected into 293 cells. A stable cell line that can express Gagpol and Env proteins efficiently and lastingly has been screened. It has been confirmed that Gagpol and Env proteins in the cell culture supernatant can be self-assembled into virus-like particles. The authors have detected the secretion of VLPs in the cell medium, defined the peak of the secretion, and followed and monitored the stability of expression.

Safety,immunogenicity,and protection provided by unadjuvanted and adjuvanted formulations of a recombinant plant-derived virus-like particle vaccine candidate for COVID-19 in nonhuman primates

Although antivirals are important tools to control severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2)infection,effective vaccines are essential to control the current coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)pandemic.Plant-derived virus-like particle(VLP)vaccine candidates have previously demonstrated immunogenicity and efficacy against influenza.Here,we report the immunogenicity and protection induced in rhesus macaques by intramuscular injections of a VLP bearing a SARS-CoV-2 spike protein(CoVLP)vaccine candidate formulated with or without Adjuvant System 03(AS03)or cytidine-phospho-guanosine(CpG)1018.Although a single dose of the unadjuvanted CoVLP vaccine candidate stimulated humoral and cell-mediated immune responses,booster immunization(at 28 days after priming)and adjuvant administration significantly improved both responses,with higher immunogenicity and protection provided by the AS03-adjuvanted CoVLP.Fifteen micrograms of CoVLP adjuvanted with AS03 induced a polyfunctional interleukin-2(IL-2)-driven response and IL-4 expression in CD4 T cells.Animals were challenged by multiple routes(i.e.,intratracheal,intranasal,and ocular)with a total viral dose of 106 plaque-forming units of SARS-CoV-2.Lower viral replication in nasal swabs and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid(BALF)as well as fewer SARS-CoV-2-infected cells and immune cell infiltrates in the lungs concomitant with reduced levels of proinflammatory cytokines and chemotactic factors in the BALF were observed in animals immunized with the CoVLP adjuvanted with AS03.No clinical,pathologic,or virologic evidence of vaccineassociated enhanced disease was observed in vaccinated animals.The CoVLP adjuvanted with AS03 was therefore selected for vaccine development and clinical trials.

Characterization of a Putative Filovirus Vaccine:Virus-Like Particles

Filoviruses are hemorrhagic fever viruses endemic to parts of Africa and the Philippines. Infection carries with it a mortality rate of up to 90% and currently there are no effective vaccines or therapeutics available to combat infection. However, the filovirus virus-like particles (VLP), which are currently under development, have been shown to be a promising vaccine candidate. They provide protection from infection in the mouse, guinea pig, and nonhuman primate models of infection, eliciting high anti-glycoprotein antibody titers and T cell responses to viral proteins. In this review, we will highlight the development of the filovirus VLP and describe the current understanding of VLP immunogenicity and correlates of protection.

Characterisation and separation of infectious bursal disease virus-like particles using aqueous two-phase systems

Infectious bursal disease(IBD)causes considerable economic losses in the commercial poultry industry worldwide.The principal way to control IBD virus(IBDV),the causative agent of IBD,is still through vaccination programs.Virus-like particles(VLPs)are recognised as a safe and potent recombinant vaccine platform.This research work explores the characterisation and separation of infectious bursal disease virus-like particles(IBD-VLPs)from crude feedstock.Various characteristics were studied with highperformance size-exclusion chromatography(HP-SEC),sodium dodecyl sulphate–polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis(SDS-PAGE)and transmission electron microscopy(TEM)analyses.Subsequently,the separation of IBD-VLPs using polyethylene glycol(PEG)/sodium citrate-based aqueous two-phase systems(ATPSs)was conducted and optimised.Moreover,a scale-up study of the best ATPS constituted of 15%PEG 6000,11%sodium citrate and 10%crude feedstock was performed to compare the separation performance of IBD-VLPs with and without centrifugation-assisted.The results indicated that the optimised ATPS with centrifugation-assisted for both 5 g and 50 g systems showed good recovery of IBDVLPs of>97%in the interphase between the PEG-rich top and salt-rich bottom phases.These optimised systems also showed high removal efficiencies of impurities of>95%.The results demonstrated that aqueous two-phase extraction could be a promising technology for efficient VLPs separation.

Efficient Humoral and Cellular Immune Responses Induced by a Chimeric Virus-like Particle Displaying the Epitope of EV71 without Adjuvant

Objective To eliminate the side effects of aluminum adjuvant and His-tag,we constructed chimeric VLPs displaying the epitope of EV71（SP70） without His-tagged.Then evaluating whether the VLPs could efficiently evoke not only humoral but also cellular immune responses against EV71 without adjuvant.Methods The fusion protein was constructed by inserting SP70 into the MIR of truncated HBc Ag sequence,expressed in E.Coli,and purified through ion exchange chromatography and density gradient centrifugation.Mice were immunized with the VLPs and sera were collected afterwards.The specific antibody titers,Ig G subtypes and neutralizing efficacy were detected by ELISA,neutralization assay,and EV71 lethal challenge.IFN-γ and IL-4 secreted by splenocytes were tested by ELISPOT assay.Results HBc-SP70 proteins can self-assemble into empty VLPs.After immunization with HBc-SP70 VLPs,the detectable anti-EV71 antibodies were effective in neutralizing EV71 and protected newborn mice from EV71 lethal challenge.There was no significant difference for the immune efficacy whether the aluminum adjuvant was added or not.The specific Ig G subtypes were mainly IgG1 and IgG2 b and splenocytes from the mice immunized produced high levels of IFN-γ and IL-4.Conclusion The fusion proteins without His-tagged was expressed and purified as soluble chimeric HBc-SP70 VLPs without renaturation.In the absence of adjuvant,they were efficient to elicit high levels of Th1/Th2 mixed immune response as well as assisted by aluminum adjuvant.Furthermore,the chimeric VLPs have potential to prevent HBV and EV71 infection simultaneously.

Carboxyl Terminus Truncated Human Papillomavirus Type 58 L1 Protein Maintains Its Bioactivity and Ability to Form Virus-like Particles

Summary: To prepare carboxyl terminus truncated human papillomavirus type 58 L1(HPV58L1) protein and evaluate its ability to form virus-like particles, the baculovirus and Sf-9 insect cells was used to express HPV58L1 protein, and pFastBac-Htb containing HPV58L1 gene sequence of carboxyl terminus truncation was generated. Then Sf-9 cells were infected with recombinant baculovirus. After being cultured, the post-infected cells expressing-HPV58L1 protein-were harvested and analyzed by SDS-PAGE and Western blot. The ProBond~TM purification system was used for protein purification. The bio-activity of purified protein was identified by mouse erythrocyte hemagglutination assay, and the VLP formation was examined with transmission electron microscope. Our results showed that the recombinant baculovirus was generated and the Sf-9 cells was infected with the recombinant baculovirus, and after collecting, total cellular proteins were extracted. Truncated HPV58L1 protein with MW 58KD was revealed by SDS-PAGE and confirmed by Western blot. The purified L1 proteins under native condition could cause mouse erythrocytes to agglutinate and form VLP. It is concluded that HPV58L1 protein with carboxyl terminus truncation could be efficiently expressed. In baculovirus Sf-9 cells expression system, the purified protein could self-assemble into virions in vitro, and induce agglutination of mouse erythrocytes, indicating that carboxyl terminus truncation does not interfere with the bioactivity of HPV58L1 protein.

Expression,purification and characterization of enterovirus-71 virus-like particles

瞄准：Enterovirus 71 (EV71 ) 作为为在亚太区域与严重神经病学的疾病联系的手，脚和嘴疾病的最近的爆发负责的病因学的代理人被含有。方法：集会过程被假设发生经由一由病毒的朊酶 3CD 的 P1 先锋的安排解朊的处理。测试这个假设，我们构造了 3 recombinant baculoviruses：表示 P1 的 Bac-P1；表示 3CD 的 Bac-3CD；并且 Bac-P1-3CD 共同表示 P1 和 3CD。结果：由 Bac-P1-3CD 的两单个感染和由 Bac-P1 和 Bac-3CD 的合作感染导致了 P1 的正确劈开产出单个蛋白质 VP0， VP1 和 VP3，当以前的途径产出更高的 VLP 生产时。在房间，进类似于真 EV71 粒子总数的像病毒的粒子(VLP ) 的簇自我装配的结构的蛋白质。在 ultracentrifugation 纯化以后，驱散的 VLP 与在尺寸，外观，作文和表面 epitopes 的真病毒难区分，作为由标记的 SDS 页，西方的污点，传播电子显微镜学和免疫黄金决定了。结论：我们的数据第一次，在 EV71 结构的蛋白质采用一个处理和类似于脊髓灰质炎病毒汇编的汇编小径的昆虫房间建议那。粒子形态学和作文的保藏建议 VLP 可以是一个珍贵疫苗的候选人阻止 EV71 流行病。

The codon-optimized capsid gene of duck circovirus can be highly expressed in yeast and self-assemble into virus-like particles

The capsid （Cap） protein, which is the only structural protein of duck circovirus （DuCV）, is the most important antigen for the development of vaccines against DuCV and the virus＇s serological diagnostic methods. In order to use yeast expression system to produce a large quantities of DuCVCap protein which is close to its natural form to display the antigen peptides perfectly, the Cap gene was optimized into the codon-optimized capsid （Opt-Cap） gene towards the preference of yeast firstly. Then, the genes of Cap and Opt-Cap were separately cloned into pPIC9K plasmid and transformed into Picha pas- toris GSl15. The strains that displayed the phenotype of Mut~ and contained multiple inserts of expression cassette were selected from those colonies. After the induction expression, the secretory type of Cap protein, which was about 43 kDa, was best expressed under 0.5% （v/v） methanol and sorbitol induction. Compared with the Cap gene, the expression level of Opt-Cap gene was much higher. What＇s more, the purified Cap protein had a good reactivity to its specific polyclone antibody and DuCV-positive serum, and it was able to self-assemble into virus-like particles （VLPs）. These VLPs, with a diameter of 15-20 nm and without a nucleic acid structure, showed a high level of similarity to DuCV particles in size and shape. All of the resultsdemonstrated that, based on the codon-optimization, it is suitable to use the P. pastoris expression system to produce DuCV VLPs on a large scale. It is the first time that a large amounts of DuCV VLPs were produced successfully in P. pastoris, which might be particularly useful for the further studies of serological diagnosis and vaccines of DuCV.

HPV 6b L1VIRUS-LIKE PARTICLES ELICIT HUMORAL IMMUNITY IN MICE

Objective.To test whether intramuscular,intranasal,intrarectal and intravagina l administration of HPV6b L 1 virus-like particlescould induce immune response in mice and to as sess whether intra-muscular and mucosal vaccination against HPV is feasible.Me thods.HPV6b L1proteins self-assembled into VLPs in Sf-9cell in vitro.Mic e were immunized on day0and21with50ìg HPV6b L1VLPs intramuscularly,int ranasally,intrarectally and intravagi-nally respectively.Sera were collected for testing IgG titer after a further7days and3months respec-tively.Results .After immunizations,all mice developed significant anti-HPV6b L1antibody titers in serum by7days after the second immunization.The titer of the serum I gG antibody against HPV6b L1VLPs in the intramuscularly immunized group was h igher than that in the intranasally,intrarectally and intravaginally immunized groups respectively,indicating that both muscular and mucosal administration of HPV6b L1VLPs can stimulate a systemic HPV-specific antibody response.Sera of the mice in the in-tramuscularly immunized group still maintained a high tit er of the serum IgG antibody against HPV6b L1VLPs 3months after the immunizat ion.Conclusion.The results demonstrated that the HPV6b L1VLPs maintain stro ng antigenicity.Immu-nization with HPV6b L1VLPs via intramuscular and mucos al routes,without adjuvant ,can elicit spe-cific antibody in sera.These fin dings suggest that the VLPs are able to induce protective antibodies.

Development of a novel virus-like particle-based vaccine for preventing tick-borne encephalitis virus infection

Tick-borne encephalitis virus(TBEV)is an important tick-borne pathogen that poses as a serious public health concern.The coverage and immunogenicity of the currently available vaccines against TBEV are relatively low;therefore,it is crucial to develop novel and effective vaccines against TBEV.The present study describes a novel strategy for the assembly of virus-like particles(VLPs)by co-expressing the structural(core/prM/E)and non-structural(NS2B/NS3Pro)proteins of TBEV.The efficacy of the VLPs was subsequently evaluated in C57BL/6 mice,and the resultant IgG serum could neutralize both Far-Eastern and European subtypes of TBEV.These findings indicated that the VLP-based vaccine elicited the production of cross-subtype reactive antibodies.The VLPs provided protection to mice lacking the type I interferon receptor(IFNAR^(-/-))against lethal TBEV challenge,with undetectable viral load in brain and intestinal tissues.Furthermore,the group that received the VLP vaccine did not exhibit significant pathological changes and the inflammatory factors were significantly suppressed compared to the control group.Immunization with the VLP vaccine induced the production of multiple-cytokine-producing antiviral CD4+T cells in vivo,including TNF-α^(+),IL-2^(+),and IFN-γ^(+)T cells.Altogether,the findings suggest that noninfectious VLPs can serve as a potentially safe and effective vaccine candidate against diverse subtypes of TBEV.

Vaccination with dendritic cells pulsed with hepatitis C pseudo particles induces specific immune responses in mice

AIM: To explore dendritic cells (DCs) multiple functions in immune modulation. METHODS: We used bone-marrow derived dendritic cells from BALB/c mice pulsed with pseudo particles from the hepatitis C virus to vaccinate naive BALB/c mice. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) pseudo particles consist of the genotype 1b derived envelope proteins E1 and E2, covering a non-HCV core structure. Thus, not a single epitope, but the whole "viral surface" induces immunogenicity. For vaccination, mature and activated DC were injected subcutaneously twice. RESULTS: Humoral and cellular immune responses measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and interferon-gamma enzyme-linked immunosorbent spot test showed antibody production as well as T-cellsdirected against HCV. Furthermore, T-cell responses confi rmed two highly immunogenic regions in E1 and E2 outside the hypervariable region 1. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate dendritic cells as a promising vaccination model for HCV infection that should be evaluated further.

Inorganic virus-like nanoparticles for biomedical applications:a minireview

Nature has the ingenious capability to design spiky topological features at the macro-and nanoscales,which exhibits fascinating interface adhesive properties by means of multivalent interactions.Following a biomimetic approach,such as nanoscale virus particles are highly infectious toward host cells,a range of organic and inorganic spiky particles(virus-like nanostructures)have been precisely engineered for diverse biomedical applications.Generally,organic virus-like particles(VLPs)derived from viral capsids(often termed as virosomes)have been extensively studied and reviewed,but concomitant concerns regarding immunogenicity and risks of mutagenesis limit clinical potential of organic VLPs.In contrast,inorganic VLPs(viral-mimicking topography)possess fascinating physicochemical characteristics,such as excellent electrical,optical,magnetic,mechanical and catalytic properties,which make them particularly suitable for biomedical applications.Alternatively,there is no comprehensive review related to inorganic VLPs engineered with non-viral shell for biomedical applications.Hence,in this review,we present a brief overview on inorganic VLPs,followed by summarizing the construction and properties of virus-like nanostructures,as well as the mechanisms of nano-bio interface interactions initiated by spiky topography.Furthermore,we focus on the recent advances of VLPs for biomedical applications(including biosensing,antibacterial therapy and cancer treatment).Finally,the future outlook and emerging challenges will be presented.This review aims to provide future scope of the rational design of inorganic non-viral vectors,especially with respect to gene-based therapy platforms.

SARS-CoV-2 vaccine research and development: Conventional vaccines and biomimetic nanotechnology strategies

The development of a massively producible vaccine against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2),a novel coronavirus,is essential for stopping the current coronavirus disease(COVID-19)pandemic.A vaccine must stimulate effective antibody and T cell responses in vivo to induce long-term protection.Scientific researchers have been developing vaccine candidates for the severe acute respiratory syndrome(SARS)and Middle East respiratory syndrome(MERS)since the outbreaks of these diseases.The prevalence of new biotechnologies such as genetic engineering has shed light on the generation of vaccines against novel viruses.In this review,we present the status of the development of coronavirus vaccines,focusing particularly on the biomimetic nanoparticle technology platform,which is likely to have a major role in future developments of personalized medicine.

Design and immunogenicity assessment of HIV-1 virus-like particles as a candidate vaccine

The rapid growth of the global HIV/AIDS epidemic makes it a high priority to develop an effective vaccine.Since a live attenuated or inactivated HIV vaccine is not likely to be approved for clinical application due to safety concerns,HIV virus like particles(VLPs) offer an attractive alternative because they are considered safer since they lack viral genome.We got a stable eukaryotic cell line by G418 resistance selection,engineered to express the HIV-1 structure protein Gag and Env efficiently and stably.We confirmed the presence of Gag and Env proteins in the cell culture supernatant and that they could self-assemble into VLPs.These VLPs were found to be able to elicit specific humoral and cellular immune response after immunization without any adjuvant.

The truncated form of fagellin (tFlic) provides the 2dCap subunit vaccine with better immunogenicity and protective efects in mice

Porcine circovirus type 2(PCV2)is the main causative agent of porcine circovirus-associated diseases,and it causes substantial economic losses in the swine industry each year.It is crucial to develop an efective vaccine against the circulating strain PCV2d,which is prone to substantial degrees of mutation.In this study,a truncated form of fagellin(tFlic:85-111 aa)was inserted into the C-terminal sequence of 2dCap,and Western blotting results showed that recombinant Cap-tFlic VLPs were successfully expressed.Transmission electron microscopy(TEM)and dynamic light scattering(DLS)data indicated that purifed recombinant Cap-tFlic fusion proteins existed in the form of polymers and that tFlic could not afect the formation and internalization of VLPs.Integrated Cap-tFlic VLPs induced the expression of antigen presentation-related factors(MHC-II and CD86)by bone marrow-derived dendritic cells(BM-DCs),and the expression of TLR5-related factors(TNF-α)was dramatically elevated.Mice intramuscularly immunized with Cap-tFlic VLPs exhibited signifcantly higher levels of Cap-specifc antibodies and neutralizing antibodies than mice immunized with wild-type Cap VLPs.The data obtained in the current study indicate that Cap-tFlic may be a candidate for a subunit vaccine against PCV2 in the future.

Genetically engineered bacterial-like particles induced specific cellular and humoral immunity as effective tick-borne encephalitis virus vaccine

Tick-borne encephalitis(TBE)is a natural focal disease with fatal encephalitis induced by tick-borne encephalitis virus(TBEV),seriously threatening human and public health.Protection of TBE depends on vaccination with inactivated vaccine,which requires high cost and multiple immunizations.Here,we construct genetically engineered bacterial-like particles(BLPs)as an effective TBEV vaccine with simplified immunizations and improved immune efficacy.The TBEV BLPs involve the combination of the gram-positive enhancer matrix from Lactococcus lactis,and TBEV envelope(E)protein expressed by genetically engineered recombinant baculovirus.The prepared TBEV BLPs can effectively stimulate the activation of dendritic cells to present the TBEV E proteins to T and B cells,leading to strong and durable cellular and humoral immune responses in mice.Surprisingly,the serum levels of specific IgG antibodies in mice remain about 10^(6)at 6 months after the secondary immunization.Overall,the TBEV BLPs can be used as a potent vaccine candidate,laying the foundation for developing novel TBEV genetically engineered vaccines.

新型PCV2衣壳融合蛋白在HEK293F细胞瞬时表达研究

猪圆环病毒2型(Porcine Circovirus type 2,PCV2)衣壳(Capsid)蛋白是制备抗猪圆环2型病毒亚单位疫苗的有效免疫抗原,能在大肠杆菌及杆状病毒/昆虫细胞表达系统中获得表达,然而在哺乳细胞中的表达研究仍然缺乏。瞬时表达条件考察结果显示,采用宿主HEK293F细胞及PEI-40kDa转染试剂能获得35%病毒PCV2 Capsid基因细胞转染效率。转染试剂PEI(Polyethylenimine)与DNA比例差异会影响复合物形成大小及形态,复合物形成15~80 nm颗粒有利于转染效率的提高。实验以免疫逃逸型猪圆环病毒2b型NDSU41513病毒株,设计了新型PCV2 Capsid (△1-41aa)-Fc(pig) protein(PCFP)分子。在3 L反应器中成功实现了HEK293F细胞瞬时表达PCFP,表达水平达到3.8 mg/L。PCFP蛋白能够自主装形成约为41 nm类病毒颗粒,诱导小鼠机体内产生强烈的体液免疫反应,具有很高的应用潜力。

Virus-like particle vaccinology,from bench to bedside

Virus-like particles(VLPs)have become key tools in biology,medicine and even engineering.After their initial use to resolve viral structures at the atomic level,VLPs were rapidly harnessed to develop antiviral vaccines followed by their use as display platforms to generate any kind of vaccine.Most recently,VLPs have been employed as nanomachines to deliver pharmaceutically active products to specific sites and into specific cells in the body.Here,we focus on the use of VLPs for the development of vaccines with broad fields of indications ranging from classical vaccines against viruses to therapeutic vaccines against chronic inflammation,pain,allergy and cancer.In this review,we take a walk through time,starting with the latest developments in experimental preclinical VLP-based vaccines and ending with marketed vaccines,which earn billions of dollars every year,paving the way for the next wave of prophylactic and therapeutic vaccines already visible on the horizon.