title: Development and evaluation of two subunit vaccine candidates containing antigens of hepatitis E virus, rotavirus, and astrovirus.
abstract: Hepatitis E virus (HEV), rotavirus (RV), and astrovirus (AstV) are important pathogens that transmit through a common fecal-oral route, causing hepatitis (HEV) and gastroenteritis (RV and AstV) respectively in humans. In this study, we developed and evaluated two subunit vaccine candidates that consisted of the same protruding or spike protein antigens of the three viruses in two formats, a fusion of the three antigens into one molecule (fused vaccine) vs. a mixture of the three free antigens together (mixed vaccine). Both vaccines were easily made via E. coli expression system. Mouse immunization experiments showed that the fused vaccine elicited significantly higher antibody responses against the three viral antigens than those induced by the mixed vaccine. In addition, the mouse post-immune antisera of the fused vaccine revealed significantly higher neutralizing titers against HEV infection in cell culture, as well as significantly higher 50% blocking titers (BT50) against RV VP8-HBGA receptor interactions than those of the post-immune antisera after immunization of the mixed vaccine. Thus, the fused vaccine is a promising trivalent vaccine candidate against HEV, RV, and AstV, which is worth for further development.
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Diseases, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Diseases, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Chao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Diseases, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Leyi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA.
authors.forename: Dianjun
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA.
authors.forename: Xiang-Jin
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Meng
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Diseases, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA.|Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Xi
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Diseases, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA.|Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tan
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D057134:Antibodies, Neutralizing / Q000494:pharmacology; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D016752:Hepatitis E virus / Q000276:immunology*; D007106:Immune Sera / Q000276:immunology; D007114:Immunization; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000378:metabolism; D008024:Ligands; D001257:Mamastrovirus / Q000276:immunology*; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D012401:Rotavirus / Q000276:immunology*; D022223:Vaccines, Subunit / Q000276:immunology*; D014765:Viral Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D057134:Antibodies, Neutralizing; D000956:Antigens, Viral; D007106:Immune Sera; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D008024:Ligands; D022223:Vaccines, Subunit; D014765:Viral Vaccines