High-level mucosal and systemic immune responses induced by oral administration with Lactobacillus-expressed porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) S1 region combined with Lactobacillus-expressed N protein

Appl Microbiol Biotechnol. 2012 Mar;93(6):2437-46. doi: 10.1007/s00253-011-3734-0. Epub 2011 Dec 2.

Abstract

To develop effective mucosal vaccine formulation against porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) infection, the DNA fragments encoding spike protein immunodominant region S1 and nucleocapsid N of PEDV were inserted into pPG1 (surface-displayed) or pPG2 (secretory) plasmids followed by electrotransformation into Lactobacillus casei (Lc) to yield four recombinant strains: PG1-S1, PG2-S1, PG1-N, and PG2-N. After intragastric administration, it was observed that live Lc-expressing S1 protein combined with Lc-expressing N protein could elicit much more potent mucosal and systemic immune responses than the former alone (P < 0.001), however slightly inferior to the latter alone (P > 0.05). Furthermore, the surface-displayed mixture (PG1-S1+ PG1-N) revealed stronger immunogenicity than the secretory mixture (PG2-S1+ PG2-N) as well as PEDV-neutralizing potency in vitro (P < 0.001). On 49th day after the last immunization, splenocytes were prepared from mice immunized with surface-displayed mixture, secretory mixture and negative control to be stimulated by purified N and S protein, respectively. The results of ELISA analysis showed that N protein was capable of inducing a higher level of IL-4 (P < 0.001) and IFN-γ (P < 0.001) than S1 protein in the immunized mice. Taken together, Lc-expressed N protein as molecular adjuvant or immunoenhancer was able to effectively facilitate the induction of mucosal and systemic immune responses by Lc-expressing S1 region.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Administration, Oral
  • Animals
  • Coronavirus Infections / immunology
  • Coronavirus Infections / veterinary*
  • Coronavirus Infections / virology
  • Coronavirus Nucleocapsid Proteins
  • Female
  • Gene Expression
  • Immunity, Mucosal
  • Lactobacillus / genetics*
  • Lactobacillus / metabolism
  • Membrane Glycoproteins / administration & dosage
  • Membrane Glycoproteins / genetics
  • Membrane Glycoproteins / immunology*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Nucleocapsid Proteins / administration & dosage
  • Nucleocapsid Proteins / genetics
  • Nucleocapsid Proteins / immunology*
  • Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus / genetics
  • Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus / immunology*
  • Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus
  • Swine
  • Swine Diseases / immunology*
  • Swine Diseases / prevention & control
  • Swine Diseases / virology
  • Viral Envelope Proteins / administration & dosage
  • Viral Envelope Proteins / genetics
  • Viral Envelope Proteins / immunology*
  • Viral Vaccines / administration & dosage
  • Viral Vaccines / genetics
  • Viral Vaccines / immunology

Substances

  • Coronavirus Nucleocapsid Proteins
  • Membrane Glycoproteins
  • Nucleocapsid Proteins
  • Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus
  • Viral Envelope Proteins
  • Viral Vaccines
  • spike glycoprotein, SARS-CoV
  • spike protein, mouse hepatitis virus