Self-assembly of virus-like particles of canine parvovirus capsid protein expressed from Escherichia coli and application as virus-like particle vaccine

Appl Microbiol Biotechnol. 2014 Apr;98(8):3529-38. doi: 10.1007/s00253-013-5485-6. Epub 2014 Jan 12.

Abstract

Canine parvovirus disease is an acute infectious disease caused by canine parvovirus (CPV). Current commercial vaccines are mainly attenuated and inactivated; as such, problems concerning safety may occur. To resolve this problem, researchers developed virus-like particles (VLPs) as biological nanoparticles resembling natural virions and showing high bio-safety. This property allows the use of VLPs for vaccine development and mechanism studies of viral infections. Tissue-specific drug delivery also employs VLPs as biological nanomaterials. Therefore, VLPs derived from CPV have a great potential in medicine and diagnostics. In this study, small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) fusion motif was utilized to express a whole, naturalVP2 protein of CPV in Escherichia coli. After the cleavage of the fusion motif, the CPV VP2 protein has self-assembled into VLPs. The VLPs had a size and shape that resembled the authentic virus capsid. However, the self-assembly efficiency of VLPs can be affected by different pH levels and ionic strengths. The mice vaccinated subcutaneously with CPV VLPs and CPV-specific immune responses were compared with those immunized with the natural virus. This result showed that VLPs can effectively induce anti-CPV specific antibody and lymphocyte proliferation as a whole virus. This result further suggested that the antigen epitope of CPV was correctly present on VLPs, thereby showing the potential application of a VLP-based CPV vaccine.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Viral / blood
  • Capsid Proteins / genetics
  • Capsid Proteins / metabolism*
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Dog Diseases / immunology
  • Dog Diseases / prevention & control*
  • Dog Diseases / virology
  • Dogs
  • Escherichia coli / genetics
  • Gene Expression
  • Injections, Subcutaneous
  • Lymphocytes / immunology
  • Mice
  • Parvoviridae Infections / immunology
  • Parvoviridae Infections / prevention & control
  • Parvoviridae Infections / veterinary*
  • Parvoviridae Infections / virology
  • Parvovirus, Canine / genetics
  • Parvovirus, Canine / immunology*
  • Protein Multimerization*
  • Recombinant Proteins / genetics
  • Recombinant Proteins / metabolism
  • Vaccination / methods
  • Vaccines, Synthetic / administration & dosage
  • Vaccines, Synthetic / genetics
  • Vaccines, Synthetic / immunology
  • Vaccines, Synthetic / isolation & purification
  • Vaccines, Virus-Like Particle / administration & dosage
  • Vaccines, Virus-Like Particle / genetics
  • Vaccines, Virus-Like Particle / immunology*
  • Vaccines, Virus-Like Particle / isolation & purification
  • Viral Vaccines / administration & dosage
  • Viral Vaccines / genetics
  • Viral Vaccines / immunology*
  • Viral Vaccines / isolation & purification

Substances

  • Antibodies, Viral
  • Capsid Proteins
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Vaccines, Synthetic
  • Vaccines, Virus-Like Particle
  • Viral Vaccines