N-terminus of Flagellin Fused to an Antigen Improves Vaccine Efficacy against Pasteurella multocida Infection in Chickens

Thu-Dung Doan; Hsian-Yu Wang; Guan-Ming Ke; Li-Ting Cheng

doi:10.3390/vaccines8020283

N-terminus of Flagellin Fused to an Antigen Improves Vaccine Efficacy against Pasteurella multocida Infection in Chickens

Vaccines (Basel). 2020 Jun 6;8(2):283. doi: 10.3390/vaccines8020283.

Authors

Thu-Dung Doan¹, Hsian-Yu Wang², Guan-Ming Ke², Li-Ting Cheng²

Affiliations

¹ International Degree Program of Animal Vaccine Technology, International College, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, 1, Shuefu Road, Neipu, Pingtung 91201, Taiwan.
² Graduate Institute of Animal Vaccine Technology, College of Veterinary Medicine, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, 1, Shuefu Road, Neipu, Pingtung 91201, Taiwan.

Abstract

Flagellin from bacteria elicits a proinflammatory immune response and may act as a vaccine adjuvant. In this study, we evaluated the adjuvant effect of the N-terminus of flagellin (residues 1-99) when linked to an antigen (a truncated, conserved domain of lipoprotein E of Pasteurella multocida). Immunization of chickens with the antigen-adjuvant chimeric protein showed that the N-terminus of flagellin accelerated the antibody response and enhanced the cellular immunity (CD8⁺ T cell expansion). Stimulation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from vaccinated chickens showed both T_H1 (IFN-γ and IL-12) and T_H2 (IL-4)-type cytokine gene expressions. In a challenge test, the N-terminus of flagellin increased the survival rate to 75%, compared to 25% in the antigen-only group. In conclusion, our study found that the N-terminus of flagellin can increase the immune response and enhance vaccine protection.

Keywords: N-terminus; Pasteurella multocida; adjuvant; chimeric protein; flagellin; lipoprotein E.

Grants and funding

1085702-63/National Pingtung University of Science and Technology