title: Chimeric virus-like particles containing a conserved region of the G protein in combination with a single peptide of the M2 protein confer protection against respiratory syncytial virus infection.
abstract: To investigate the feasibility and efficacy of a virus-like particle (VLP) vaccine composed of the conserved antigenic epitopes of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), the chimeric RSV VLPs HBcΔ-tG and HBcΔ-tG/M282-90 were generated based on the truncated hepatitis B virus core protein (HBcΔ). HBcΔ-tG consisted of HBcΔ, the conserved region (aa 144-204) of the RSV G protein. HBcΔ-tG was combined with a single peptide (aa 82-90) of the M2 protein to generate HBcΔ-tG/M282-90. Immunization of mice with the HBcΔ-tG or HBcΔ-tG/M282-90 VLPs elicited RSV-specific IgG and neutralizing antibody production and conferred protection against RSV infection. Compared with HBcΔ-tG, HBcΔ-tG/M282-90 induced decreased Th2 cytokine production (IL-4 and IL-5), increased Th1 cytokine response (IFN-γ, TNF-α, and IL-2), and increased ratios of IgG2a/IgG1 antibodies, thereby relieving pulmonary pathology upon subsequent RSV infection. Our results demonstrated that chimeric HBcΔ-tG/M282-90 VLPs represented an effective RSV subunit vaccine candidate.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Virology, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Qiao
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Virology, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China.
authors.forename: Yuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Virology, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China.
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Chai
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Virology, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China.
authors.forename: Yiluo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Virology, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China.
authors.forename: Chunling
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Huo
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Virology, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China. Electronic address: zspan@whu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Zishu
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Pan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D057134:Antibodies, Neutralizing / Q000097:blood; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D002460:Cell Line; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology; D000939:Epitopes / Q000276:immunology; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D008168:Lung / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D018357:Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D022261:Respiratory Syncytial Virus Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D018113:Respiratory Syncytial Virus, Human / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D022223:Vaccines, Subunit / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D058425:Vaccines, Virus-Like Particle / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D014760:Viral Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D057134:Antibodies, Neutralizing; D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D016207:Cytokines; D000939:Epitopes; C502275:G glycoprotein, Respiratory syncytial virus; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D022261:Respiratory Syncytial Virus Vaccines; D022223:Vaccines, Subunit; D058425:Vaccines, Virus-Like Particle; D014760:Viral Fusion Proteins; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins
keywords: Hepatitis B virus core protein (HBc); Lung pathology; RSV attachment glyco (G) protein; Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV); Subunit vaccine; Virus like particle (VLP)