Study on the Protective Immunity Induced by Pseudotyped Baculovirus Expressing the E Protein of Tembusu Virus in Ducklings

Zheng Ni; Tao Yun; Liu Chen; Weicheng Ye; Jionggang Hua; Yinchu Zhu; Guangqing Liu; Cun Zhang

doi:10.3390/genes14071316

Study on the Protective Immunity Induced by Pseudotyped Baculovirus Expressing the E Protein of Tembusu Virus in Ducklings

Genes (Basel). 2023 Jun 22;14(7):1316. doi: 10.3390/genes14071316.

Authors

Zheng Ni¹, Tao Yun¹, Liu Chen¹, Weicheng Ye¹, Jionggang Hua¹, Yinchu Zhu¹, Guangqing Liu², Cun Zhang¹

Affiliations

¹ State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Sciences, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou 310021, China.
² Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy at Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai 200241, China.

Abstract

The Duck Tembusu virus (DTMUV), a pathogenic flavivirus, has been causing significant economic losses in the Chinese poultry industry since 2010. This virus can severely decrease egg production and inhibit the growth of laying ducks and ducklings. While many vaccines have been developed to prevent DTMUV infection, fresh outbreaks continue to occur, as few effective vaccines are available. The E glycoprotein of DTMUV is the primary target for inducing protective immunity in the natural host. Therefore, we conducted an investigation and successfully developed a recombinant baculovirus containing the DTMUV E gene. Ducklings were then vaccinated with the purified protein derived from this virus as a potential vaccine candidate. Our findings demonstrated that the E glycoprotein of DTMUV was highly expressed in Sf9 cells. The vaccination of ducklings with the recombinant baculovirus Bac-E resulted in the induction of strong humoral and cellular immune responses. Most significantly, we observed that the vaccine provided 100% protective immunity against lethal challenges with the DTMUV YY5 strain.

Keywords: DTMUV; E protein; protection; recombinant baculovirus; subunit vaccine.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Animals
Antibodies, Viral
Baculoviridae / genetics
Ducks
Flavivirus Infections* / prevention & control
Flavivirus Infections* / veterinary
Flavivirus* / genetics
Glycoproteins
Transcription Factors
Viral Vaccines* / genetics

Substances

Antibodies, Viral
Viral Vaccines
Glycoproteins
Transcription Factors

Supplementary concepts

Tembusu virus

Grants and funding

This research was funded by Zhejiang Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant No. LGN22C010005 and Agricultural Major Technology Collaborative Extension Program of Zhejiang Province (2021XTTGXM04-02).