Artificially designed hepatitis B virus core particles composed of multiple epitopes of type A and O foot‐and‐mouth disease virus as a bivalent vaccine candidate

Abstract

Recently, many countries, including China, have experienced a series of type A and O foot‐and‐mouth disease virus (FMDV) epidemics, causing serious economic losses. Although concerns about the safety of inactivated FMD vaccines have been raised, the development of a safe and effective subunit vaccine is necessary. We constructed two chimeric virus‐like particles (VLPs; rHBc/AO and rHBc/AOT VLPs) displaying tandem repeats of B cell epitopes (VP1 residue 134‐161 and 200‐213) derived from type A and O FMDV and one T cell epitope (3 A residue 21‐35) using the truncated hepatitis B virus core (HBc) carrier. Our results indicate that the chimeric HBc can self‐assemble into VLPs with these FMDV epitopes displayed on the surface. Immunization with the chimeric VLPs induced specific IgG and neutralization antibodies against type A and O FMDV in mice. Compared with the commercial type A/O FMDV bivalent inactivated vaccine, rHBc/AO and rHBc/AOT VLPs significantly stimulated the production of Th1 type cytokines (IFN‐γ and IL‐2), whereas Th2 cytokine production (IL‐4 and IL‐10) was decreased. Compared with rHBc/AO, rHBc/AOT induced increased Th2 cytokine and specific IgG production. These results demonstrate that the VLPs constructed in the current study induced both humoral and cellular immune responses and may represent potential bivalent VLP vaccines targeting both FMDV type A and O strains.

Structures of Foot-and-mouth Disease Virus with neutralizing antibodies derived from recovered natural host reveal a mechanism for cross-serotype neutralization

“…However, the cross-serotype effectiveness of the available FMDV vaccine is limited. A previous work constructed chimeric virus-like particles displaying tandem repeats of B cell epitopes (VP1 residues 134-161 and 200-213) derived from FMDV serotypes O and A using a truncated HBc carrier; the chimeric VLPs elicited moderate neutralization antibodies against FMDV serotypes O and A in mice [30].…”

Displaying epitope B and epitope 7 of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus on virus like particles of porcine circovirus type 2 provides partial protection to pigs

“…It is a feasible method to use virus like particles as transfer vehicles to display foreign proteins or antigen epitopes to produce chimeric VLPs for bivalent or multivalent vaccines. A variety of VLPs can be used as vehicles, such as Hepatitis B virus core protein VLPs [5,23], PCV2 VLPs [13,18,47], foot-and-mouth disease virus VLPs [27,28], and avian influenza virus VLPs [33]. By displaying foreign proteins or antigen epitopes on the surface of particles and assembling them into nanoscale particles, they will be more easily recognized and presented by the immune system, and more effective in activating humoral and cellular immunity.…”

Exploiting reverse vaccinology approach for the design of a multiepitope subunit vaccine against the major SARS-CoV-2 variants

“…Several previous in silico studies demonstrate the efficacy and effects of prototype multiepitope vaccines Yazdani et al, 2020 , Rakib et al, 2020 , AlSaba et al, 2021 , Silva et al, 2021 . Moreover, vaccine development in this manner has already gained momentum, with immunogenic potential demonstrated through in vivo experiments Lei et al, 2019 , Zhao et al, 2021 and clinical trials Elliott et al, 2008 , Lennerz et al, 2014 .…”