title: Supplemented vaccination with tandem repeat M2e virus-like particles enhances protection against homologous and heterologous HPAI H5 viruses in chickens.
abstract: Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5 viruses derived from A/Goose/Guangdong/1/96 have been continuously circulating globally, severely affecting the public health and poultry industries. The matrix 2 protein ectodomain (M2e) is considered a promising candidate for a universal cross-protective influenza vaccine that provides more effective control over HPAI H5 viruses harboring variant hemagglutinin (HA)-antigens. Here, we evaluated the protective efficacy of a tandem repeat construct of heterologous M2e presented on virus-like particles (M2e5x VLPs) either alone or as a supplement against HPAI H5 viruses in a chicken model. Chickens immunized with M2e5x VLPs alone induced M2e-specific antibodies but were not protected against HPAI H5. The homo- and cross-protective efficacy of M2e5x VLP-supplemented vaccination of chickens was also examined. Importantly, supplementation with M2e5x VLPs induced significantly higher levels of antibodies specific for M2e and different viruses as well as provided improved protection against homologous and heterologous HPAI H5 viruses. Considering the limited efficacy of inactivated vaccines, supplement vaccination with M2e5x VLPs may be an effective measure for preventing outbreaks of HPAI viruses that have the ability to constantly change their antigenic properties in poultry.
authors.affiliation: Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency, 175 Anyangro, Anyangsi 430-757, Gyeonggido, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Byung-Min
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency, 175 Anyangro, Anyangsi 430-757, Gyeonggido, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Hyun-Mi
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.affiliation: Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency, 175 Anyangro, Anyangsi 430-757, Gyeonggido, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Eun-Kyoung
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency, 175 Anyangro, Anyangsi 430-757, Gyeonggido, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Suk Chan
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.affiliation: Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency, 175 Anyangro, Anyangsi 430-757, Gyeonggido, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Min-Chul
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency, 175 Anyangro, Anyangsi 430-757, Gyeonggido, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Yu-Na
authors.initials: YN
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency, 175 Anyangro, Anyangsi 430-757, Gyeonggido, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sang-Moo
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.affiliation: Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency, 175 Anyangro, Anyangsi 430-757, Gyeonggido, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: leeyj700@korea.kr.
authors.forename: Youn-Jeong
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D000940:Antigenic Variation; D002645:Chickens / Q000276:immunology*; D056738:Cross Protection; D019267:Hemagglutinin Glycoproteins, Influenza Virus / Q000276:immunology; D053124:Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype; D007252:Influenza Vaccines / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005585:Influenza in Birds / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016865:Reassortant Viruses; D014611:Vaccination / Q000662:veterinary*; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D058425:Vaccines, Virus-Like Particle / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D000086082:Viroporin Proteins
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D019267:Hemagglutinin Glycoproteins, Influenza Virus; D007252:Influenza Vaccines; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic; D058425:Vaccines, Virus-Like Particle; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins; C488937:M2 protein, Influenza A virus; D000086082:Viroporin Proteins
keywords: Chicken; Highly pathogenic avian influenza; M2e5x virus-like particles; Supplemented vaccine