Generation and immunogenicity of Japanese encephalitis virus envelope protein expressed in transgenic rice.
Transgenic plants have become attractive as bioreactors to produce heterologous proteins that can be developed as edible vaccines. In the present study, transgenic rice expressing the envelope protein (E) of Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), under the control of a dual cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV 35S) promoter, was generated by Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Southern blot, Northern blot, Western blot and ELISA analyses confirmed that the E gene was integrated into transgenic rice and was expressed in the leaves at levels of 1.1-1.9 microg/mg of total soluble protein. After intraperitoneal immunization of mice with crude protein extracts from transgenic rice plants, JEV-specific neutralizing antibody could be detected. Moreover, E-specific mucosal immune responses could be detected in mice after oral immunization with protein extracts from transgenic rice plants. These results show the potential of using a transgenic rice-based expression system as an alternative bioreactor for JEV subunit vaccine.
Wang
Yuanyuan
Y
Laboratory of Animal Virology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, 1 Shi-zi-shan Street, Wuhan 430070, PR China.
Deng
Hanqing
H
Zhang
Xiaobo
X
Xiao
Hailin
H
Jiang
Yunbo
Y
Song
Yunfeng
Y
Fang
Liurong
L
Xiao
Shaobo
S
Zhen
Yonglian
Y
Chen
Huanchun
H
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D007114:Immunization; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D022321:Japanese Encephalitis Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000276:immunology*; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D012275:Oryza; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D022462:Vaccines, Edible / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000276:immunology*
D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D022321:Japanese Encephalitis Vaccines; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D022462:Vaccines, Edible; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; C080628:glycoprotein E, Japanese encephalitis virus