EB病毒早期蛋白P54的原核表达及其免疫原性的研究

PCR法获得编码EB病毒早期蛋白P54的基因BMRFl,序列分析后亚克隆入原核表达载体pET30a。表达质粒pET30a-BMRF1在大肠杆菌BL21(DE3)菌株中经IPTG诱导后表达了P54抗原,SDS—PAGE表明其相对分子质量为51000;采用镍离子亲和柱纯化重组蛋白。Western印迹结果表明纯化蛋白免疫BALB／c小鼠后产生了P54特异性抗体。间接免疫荧光表明免疫血清可以识别激活的Raji细胞中表达的P54蛋白。以上结果表明构建了原核表达质粒pET30a-BMRF1并在大肠杆菌细胞中成功表达EB病毒早期蛋白P54,表达蛋白具有很好的抗原性和免疫原性。     

重组Ⅱ型登革病毒NS1的表达及其免疫原性的研究

目的:表达制备重组Ⅱ型登革病毒非结构蛋白NS1,检测该重组表达蛋白的免疫原性,为检测试剂盒的研制提供基础。方法:根据Ⅱ型登革病毒NS1蛋白基因序列(GenBank登录号:NC_001474),对基因序列进行编码密码子优化后进行全基因合成,随后,经双酶切将目的片段克隆到表达载体pET28a上,通过IPTG诱导表达;表达产物经Western blot鉴定后,进一步进行蛋白纯化和透析复性,制备获得重组Ⅱ型登革病毒NS1蛋白。收获的NS1蛋白免疫小鼠,制备多克隆抗体,通过间接酶联免疫学方法测定其效价,检测其免疫原性。结果:成功构建了Ⅱ型登革病毒NS1蛋白的表达载体。Western blot显示表达的重组蛋白能够被NS1单抗特异性的结合,纯化复性后的重组蛋白在小鼠体内表现出良好的免疫原性。结论:重组表达的NS1蛋白有良好的免疫原性,为以后的NS1单克隆抗体的制备和登革病毒检测试剂盒的研制提供了良好的基础。     

Ⅰ～Ⅳ型登革病毒包膜蛋白B细胞中和表位的鉴定

登革病毒包膜蛋白(Dengue virus envelope protein,DENV E)是诱导中和抗体主要的蛋白,登革病毒包膜蛋白Ⅲ区(Dengue virus envelope protein domainⅢ,DENV EDⅢ)是构建DENV亚单位疫苗的主要靶标,但是其B细胞中和表位目前了解不多。我们采用两组覆盖DENV-1EDⅢ的重叠多肽(12肽和16肽)同27株针对DENV-1EDⅢ中和单抗反应,筛选DENV EDⅢ上B细胞表位。采用该方法,我们发现了一高度保守的Ⅰ～Ⅳ型DENV共同交叉中和B细胞表位和一高度保守的DENV-1血清型特异性B细胞中和表位,分别位于DENV-1E蛋白氨基酸残基序列第309~320位和第381~392位(Amino acid residues 309~320,and 381~392;aa 309~320和381~392)。Ⅰ～Ⅳ型DENV共同交叉中和B细胞表位在Ⅰ～Ⅳ型DENV分离株中存在高度保守共同序列310 KEVAETQHGT319,DENV-1E蛋白中E309、V312、A313和V320不影响蛋白抗原性。DENV-1血清型特异性B细胞中和表位(DENV-1E蛋白氨aa 381~392)在DENV-1分离株中高度保守,在黄病毒属其它病毒中不保守。我们也发现一具有DENV-1分离株特异性的B细胞中和表位位于DENV-1E蛋白氨基酸残基序列第329~348位。这些新发现的DENV-1E蛋白EDⅢ上B细胞中和表位可能有助于研制新的DENV亚单位疫苗。     

登革病毒四型联合重组包膜蛋白III区的表达和免疫原性鉴定

登革热在全球范围内广泛流行,但是目前为止却仍然没有疫苗上市,疫苗的开发迫在眉睫。抗体依赖增强感染效应是登革病毒疫苗开发中遇到的一个瓶颈问题。研究表明登革病毒的包膜蛋白III区能够介导中和抗体产生,且诱导产生较少的交叉抗体或无交叉抗体,能够大大减弱抗体依赖增强感染效应,因而是登革热重组蛋白疫苗的首选靶标。通过酵母密码子优化后合成同时包含4种血清型登革病毒包膜蛋白III区的四价联合DV EDIII蛋白序列,随后构建酵母表达质粒,并获得酵母表达菌株,经诱导后四联DV EDIII蛋白获得高效表达。通过Western blot、ELISA检测及蛋白质免疫原性鉴定,结果表明登革病毒四联DV EDIII蛋白表达质粒构建成功,重组蛋白在毕赤酵母获得高效表达,免疫小鼠后能够介导产生较高水平的血清效价。这表明已获得了能引起有效免疫反应的四型登革病毒EDIII蛋白,为登革病毒疫苗的研究提供了良好的基础。     

研究报告重组Ⅱ型登革病毒NS1的表达及其免疫原性的研究

目的：表达制备重组Ⅱ型登革病毒非结构蛋白NS1,检测该重组表达蛋白的免疫原性,为检测试剂盒的研制提供基础。方法：根据Ⅱ型登革病毒NS1蛋白基因序列（GenBank 登录号：NC_001474）,对基因序列进行编码密码子优化后进行全基因合成,随后,经双酶切将目的片段克隆到表达载体pET28a上,通过IPTG诱导表达;表达产物经Western blot鉴定后,进一步进行蛋白纯化和透析复性,制备获得重组Ⅱ型登革病毒NS1蛋白。收获的NS1蛋白免疫小鼠,制备多克隆抗体,通过间接酶联免疫学方法测定其效价,检测其免疫原性。结果：成功构建了Ⅱ型登革病毒NS1蛋白的表达载体。Western blot显示表达的重组蛋白能够被NS1单抗特异性的结合,纯化复性后的重组蛋白在小鼠体内表现出良好的免疫原性。结论：重组表达的NS1蛋白有良好的免疫原性,为以后的NS1单克隆抗体的制备和登革病毒检测试剂盒的研制提供了良好的基础。     

HCV包膜蛋白E2的克隆、表达与检测

构建丙型肝炎HCV包膜蛋白糖蛋白的E2基因原核表达载体,获得大量重组HCVE2蛋白,进行E2蛋白的抗原性及潜在保护作用研究。通过RT-PCR从HCVRNA阳性血清标本中扩增出975bp(383～708)E2基因片段,PCR产物经EcoR I和Sall I双酶切后连接到经同样酶切的PET-41a原核表达载体上,转化到大肠杆菌BL21(DE3)菌株,经Amp筛选,得到阳性重组质粒PET41a-HCVE2菌株,并以IPTG诱导蛋白表达,SDS-PAGE鉴定,表达产物经固定化金属配体亲和层析纯化,用ELLSA方法检测生物学活性。结果表明,构建的HCVE2包膜蛋白基因片段原核表达质粒所表达产物主要以包涵体形式存在,表达的融合蛋白与HCV阳性血清具有较好的反应原性。以HCVE2融合蛋白检测患者阳性血清具有良好的抗原性,有望能提高HCV抗体检测试剂盒的检出率。     

登革病毒共有序列候选DNA疫苗的免疫原性和保护性研究

目的研究登革病毒(Dengue virus, DENV)共有序列候选DNA疫苗pVAX1-cE80在小鼠体内的免疫原性及其保护作用。方法首先利用pVAX1-cE80 DNA免疫BALB/c小鼠,通过ELISA和噬斑减少中和试验(plaque reduction neutralization test, PRNT)分别检测免疫后小鼠血清中抗登革病毒的4种血清型(dengue virus serotype 1-4, DENV1-4)IgG抗体和中和抗体(neutralizing antibody, nAb)效价;利用酶联免疫斑点试验(enzyme-linked immunospot assay, ELISPOT)检测小鼠脾细胞分泌DENV1-4特异性Th1/Th2型细胞因子的能力;通过攻毒试验评价疫苗对DENV1-4感染的保护作用。结果接种疫苗的小鼠可产生针对DENV1-4的四价抗体,其中抗DENV2抗体水平最高,IgG抗体和nAb效价分别为1∶1 086和1∶120;免疫后小鼠脾细胞在DENV1-4抗原刺激下均可分泌较高水平的IFN-γ和IL-4;疫苗免疫可为小鼠提供针对DENV1-4的部分保护作用。结论单一共有序列登革病毒候选DNA疫苗可诱导小鼠产生四价体液免疫反应和细胞免疫反应,并为小鼠提供部分保护作用,为登革病毒共有序列疫苗的研发奠定了基础。     

猴痘病毒A29L-A35R-M1R融合蛋白的原核表达、纯化及免疫原性初步分析

猴痘病毒（Monkeypox virus,MPXV）是一种能够感染人和动物的痘病毒,已对人类公共卫生安全构成巨大威胁,安全高效的疫苗能够有效预防和控制病毒的传播。本研究选取MPXV A29L、A35R和M1R氨基酸序列通过柔性Linker(GGGGS)连接设计融合蛋白,并根据大肠杆菌密码子偏嗜性对其密码子优化后合成全基因,插入pET-28a载体,构建pET28a-A29L-A35R-M1R重组质粒。转化至E.coli BL21(DE3)感受态细胞中诱导表达,经SDSPAGE和Western blot进行鉴定,并确定最佳诱导条件。在此基础上,对融合蛋白rA29L-A35R-M1R进行Ni-NTA亲和层析柱纯化后,免疫小鼠。通过ELISA方法检测抗MPXV A29L、A35R和M1R特异性IgG和细胞因子（IFN-γ、IL-2和IL-4）水平,评价融合蛋白免疫原性。实验结果显示：重组质粒pET-28a-A29L-A35R-M1R在E.coli BL21(DE3)感受态细胞中成功表达,最佳表达条件为37℃、0.25 mmol/L IPTG诱导5 h;将纯化的融合蛋白rA29LA35R-M1R免疫小鼠3次后,能够产生抗A29L、A35R和M1R特异性IgG,其中anti-rA29L-A35R-M1R IgG水平最高,且融合蛋白rA29L-A35R-M1R能够刺激机体产生高水平IFN-γ,IL-2和IL-4,与对照组差异均具有统计学意义（P<0.01）。由此表明,融合蛋白rA29L-A35R-M1R具有良好的免疫原性。为猴痘病毒新型疫苗和治疗性生物制剂的研发提供理论依据。     

NMR assignments of the sylvatic dengue 1 virus envelope protein domain III

Nearly complete backbone and side chain resonance assignments have been obtained for the third domain, residues M289–K400, of the envelope protein from the sylvatic strain (P72–1244) of the dengue 1 virus, containing mutations N336S and E370K, using double- and triple-resonance spectroscopy.     

Blocking the dengue virus 2 infections on BHK-21 cells with purified recombinant dengue virus 2 E protein expressed in Escherichia coli

Dengue viruses (DVs) are mosquito-borne infectious pathogens. They have become an expanding public health problem in the tropics and subtropics. The dengue envelope (E) protein is one of the viral structure proteins responsible mainly for the virus attachment and entry onto host cells. It is also the major immunogen for virus neutralization. In this study, we have constructed a recombinant plasmid expressing a truncated E protein of DV-2 virus PL046 strain. The C-terminal hydrophobic domain of the E protein was removed and replaced with the sequence of S peptide to facilitate expression and purification. When expressed in Escherichia coli, the recombinant E proteins were found to be in the form of aggregated state. Through denaturation and dialysis processes, the receptor-interacting function of the purified recombinant E proteins was maintained, which was demonstrated by its ability to inhibit the DV-2 plaque-forming efficiency on mammalian BHK-21 host cells.     

Generation and immunogenicity of Japanese encephalitis virus envelope protein expressed in transgenic rice

Transgenic plants have become attractive as bioreactors to produce heterologous proteins that can be developed as edible vaccines. In the present study, transgenic rice expressing the envelope protein (E) of Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), under the control of a dual cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV 35S) promoter, was generated by Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Southern blot, Northern blot, Western blot and ELISA analyses confirmed that the E gene was integrated into transgenic rice and was expressed in the leaves at levels of 1.1-1.9 μg/mg of total soluble protein. After intraperitoneal immunization of mice with crude protein extracts from transgenic rice plants, JEV-specific neutralizing antibody could be detected. Moreover, E-specific mucosal immune responses could be detected in mice after oral immunization with protein extracts from transgenic rice plants. These results show the potential of using a transgenic rice-based expression system as an alternative bioreactor for JEV subunit vaccine.     

The fusion site of envelope fragments from each serotype of Dengue virus in the P64k protein,influence some parameters of the resulting chimeric constructs

To characterize the effect of the envelope fragment fusion site in the P64k protein from Neisseria meningitidis several chimeric constructs were obtained. One variant consisted in the insertion of the E fragment from each Dengue serotype within the lipoil binding domain of the P64k, whereas the other was based on the fusion of the envelope fragment at the C-terminus of the same meningoccocal protein. The results of the expression study revealed the majoritary levels with the C-terminus fusion variants of each serotype. In contrast, the highest proportion of soluble protein was reached with the insertion variants independently of the viral serotype. On the other hand, a significant level of degradation was detected for the semipurified forms of the insertion variants being remarkable in the Dengue 2 construct. Finally, the recognition by Dengue murine antibodies was similar independently of the fusion site. Regarding these results, we can affirm the suitability of the C-terminus fusion variants for further vaccine development as well as for a diagnostic system.     

Immunopathogenesis of dengue virus infection

Dengue virus infection causes dengue fever (DF), dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF), and dengue shock syndrome (DSS), whose pathogeneses are not clearly understood. Current hypotheses of antibody-dependent enhancement, virus virulence, and IFN-gamma/TNFalpha-mediated immunopathogenesis are insufficient to explain clinical manifestations of DHF/DSS such as thrombocytopenia and hemoconcentration. Dengue virus infection induces transient immune aberrant activation of CD4/CD8 ratio inversion and cytokine overproduction, and infection of endothelial cells and hepatocytes causes apoptosis and dysfunction of these cells. The coagulation and fibrinolysis systems are also activated after dengue virus infection. We propose a new hypothesis for the immunopathogenesis for dengue virus infection. The aberrant immune responses not only impair the immune response to clear the virus, but also result in overproduction of cytokines that affect monocytes, endothelial cells, and hepatocytes. Platelets are destroyed by crossreactive anti-platelet autoantibodies. Dengue-virus-induced vasculopathy and coagulopathy must be involved in the pathogenesis of hemorrhage, and the unbalance between coagulation and fibrinolysis activation increases the likelihood of severe hemorrhage in DHF/DSS. Hemostasis is maintained unless the dysregulation of coagulation and fibrinolysis persists. The overproduced IL-6 might play a crucial role in the enhanced production of anti-platelet or anti-endothelial cell autoantibodies, elevated levels of tPA, as well as a deficiency in coagulation. Capillary leakage is triggered by the dengue virus itself or by antibodies to its antigens. This immunopathogenesis of DHF/DSS can account for specific characteristics of clinical, pathologic, and epidemiological observations in dengue virus infection.     

登革病毒衣壳蛋白在大肠杆菌中的表达及其自组装活性的研究

采用高保真RT-PCR自登革2型病毒43株基因组RNA中扩增全长C基因及缺失羧基端Cv片段,分别构建可表达C及Cv的重组质粒pLEX—C和pLEX—Cv,转化E．coliGI724后用色氨酸诱导表达。经SDS—PAGE分析,表达的C及Cv蛋白相对分子质量分别约为12000和10000,分别约占菌体蛋白总量的19％和13％。Western印迹检测表明重组表达的C蛋白均可被特异识别登革病毒衣壳蛋白的单克隆抗体特异识别。表达的蛋白经过硫酸铵沉淀和蔗糖密度梯度离心后,通过琼脂糖凝胶电泳和负染电镜均未能检测到衣壳样颗粒的存在,说明登革病毒衣壳蛋白可能不具体外自组装活性。     

Expression in Pichia pastoris and immunological evaluation of a truncated dengue envelope protein

Among the Dengue virus structural proteins, the Envelope glycoprotein is the most important because of its antigenic characteristics. In this work, the E protein from Dengue-2 virus truncated at the C-terminus region was successfully expressed in Pichia pastoris. The E2trunc gene was cloned under the AOX1 promoter from P. pastoris and the signal peptide of the sucrose invertase gene from Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis of expression revealed the presence of a protein with the expected size, which was completely associated to the insoluble fraction after cellular disruption. The recombinant N-glycosylated protein reacted with two conformational antibodies against Dengue-2, indicating a proper folding of it. In addition, it was able to induce antiviral antibodies after mice immunization.     

Polypyrimidine tract-binding protein influences negative strand RNA synthesis of dengue virus

Flavivirus non-structural protein 4A (NS4A) induces membrane rearrangements to form viral replication complex and functions as interferon antagonist. However, other non-structural roles of NS4A protein in relation to virus life-cycle are poorly defined. This study elucidated if dengue virus (DENV) NS4A protein interacts with host proteins and contributes to viral pathogenesis by screening human liver cDNA yeast-two-hybrid library. Our study identified polypyrimidine tract-binding protein (PTB) as a novel interacting partner of DENV NS4A protein. We reported for the first time that PTB influenced DENV production. Gene-silencing studies showed that PTB did not have an effect on DENV entry and DENV RNA translation. Further functional studies revealed that PTB influenced DENV production by modulating negative strand RNA synthesis. This is the first study that enlightens the interaction of DENV NS4A protein with PTB, in addition to demonstrating the novel role of PTB in relation to mosquito-borne flavivirus life-cycle.