含H5N1多个结构抗原的DNA疫苗与重组痘苗病毒疫苗联合免疫小鼠可明显增强免疫原性

本研究旨在研发经济、高效的人高致病性禽流感病毒H5N1实验疫苗并优化免疫方案。利用本实验室前期构建的含有H5N1(安徽株)结构基因的多个单顺反子(HAop和NAop)和双顺反子(HAop/M2和NAop/M1)DNA疫苗及重组痘苗病毒(天坛株)疫苗,采用不同方案(单独或联合)免疫BALB/c小鼠,初步分析了抗原特异性体液免疫(HA血凝抑制抗体,NA特异性抗体,中和抗体及M1与M2特异性抗体)和细胞免疫应答(IFN-γELIS-pot)的特点。结果表明:DNA疫苗与重组痘苗病毒(天坛株)疫苗联合免疫可以激发较强的多个抗原特异的免疫应答,尤其是体液免疫应答,明显优于DNA疫苗或重组痘苗病毒(天坛株)疫苗单独免疫;联合免疫方案中DNA疫苗初免所激发的HA与NA特异的体液免疫应答强于重组痘苗病毒(天坛株)疫苗初免,然而M1与M2特异的体液免疫应答则反之。本研究为新型H5N1疫苗的研发及免疫方案的优化奠定了基础。     

共表达H5N1流感病毒M1和HA基因的DNA疫苗与腺病毒载体疫苗的小鼠免疫评价

为评价在小鼠体内表达流感病毒M1和HA基因诱导的免疫反应,制备共表达H5N1亚型禽流感病毒 (A/Anhui/1/2005) 全长基质蛋白1 (M1) 基因和血凝素 (HA) 基因的重组DNA疫苗pStar-M1/HA和重组腺病毒载体疫苗Ad-M1/HA,将其按初免-加强程序免疫BALB/c小鼠,共免疫4次,每次间隔14 d。第1、3次用DNA疫苗,第2、4次用重组腺病毒载体疫苗,每次免疫前及末次免疫后14 d采集小鼠血清用于检测体液免疫应答,末次免疫后14 d采集小鼠脾淋巴细胞用于检测细胞免疫应答。血凝     

甲型H5N1流感病毒M2与HA双基因载体疫苗在小鼠体内的免疫学评价

高致病性H5N1亚型禽流感病毒 (AIV) 严重威胁到人类健康,因此研制高效、安全的禽流感疫苗具有重要意义。以我国分离的首株人H5N1亚型禽流感病毒 (A/Anhui/1/2005) 作为研究对象,PCR扩增基质蛋白2 (M2) 和血凝素 (HA) 基因全长开放阅读框片段,构建共表达H5N1亚型AIV膜蛋白基因 M2和HA的重组质粒pStar-M2/HA。此外,还通过同源重组以293细胞包装出表达M2基因的重组腺病毒Ad-M2以及表达HA基因的重组腺病毒Ad-HA。用间接免疫荧光 (IFA) 方法检测到了各载体上插入基因的表达。按初免-加强程序分别用重组质粒pStar-M2/HA和重组腺病毒Ad-HA+Ad-M2免疫BALB/c小鼠,共免疫4次,每次间隔14 d。第1、3次用DNA疫苗,第2、4次用重组腺病毒载体疫苗,每次免疫前及末次免疫后14 d采集血清用于检测体液免疫应答,末次免疫后14 d采集脾淋巴细胞用于检测细胞免疫应答。血凝抑制 (HI) 实验检测到免疫后小鼠血清中的HI活性。ELISA实验检测到免疫后小鼠血清中抗H5N1亚型流感病毒表面蛋白的IgG抗体。ELISPOT实验检测到免疫后小鼠针对M2蛋白和HA蛋白的特异性细胞免疫应答。流感病毒M2与HA双基因共免疫的研究,为研究开发新型重组流感疫苗奠定了基础。     

融合表达DEC205单链抗体和NS3蛋白的HCV DNA疫苗的免疫原性研究

为研发新型HCV DNA疫苗并探讨优化其免疫原性的策略,我们分析靶向树突状细胞(Dendritic cells,DC)的分子对HCV DNA疫苗免疫原性的影响。我们基于抗小鼠DC细胞表面分子DEC205/CD205的单克隆抗体DEC205的单链分子,构建可单独表达DEC205单链抗体或者与HCV非结构蛋白NS3融合表达的DNA表达质粒,并构建单独表达HCV非结构蛋白NS3的DNA表达质粒;经瞬时转染法鉴定HCV NS3及其与DEC205单链抗体融合蛋白的表达;随后采用注射结合电转的方式免疫Balb/C小鼠并研究各疫苗的体液(NS3特异性IgG抗体)与细胞免疫(IFN-γELISPOT)效果。结果表明:DEC205单链抗体基因与HCV NS3编码基因的融合可显著增强NS3特异的免疫应答;采用皮内注射加卡钳电极电转的方式可以产生最强的NS3特异性抗体和T细胞免疫反应。因此,通过DEC205单链抗体与HCV DNA疫苗靶抗原融合可明显增强免疫应答效果。该策略为HCV及其他类似病原的新型DNA疫苗研制提供重要依据。     

电脉冲和布吡卡因增强A型肉毒毒素DNA核酸疫苗的免疫效果

目的：考查DNA疫苗注射免疫后电脉冲和布吡卡因佐剂化DNA疫苗递送方式对A型肉毒毒素DNA核酸疫苗免疫效果的影响。方法：A型肉毒毒素DNA复制子疫苗和传统DNA疫苗肌肉注射免疫小鼠后电脉冲和布吡卡因佐剂化DNA后再肌肉注射免疫小鼠;检测免疫小鼠的抗体和细胞水平,并分析抗体亚类。结果：电脉冲和布吡卡因这二种递送方式均增强DNA复制子疫苗和传统DNA疫苗的体液免疫和细胞免疫效果;电脉冲提高DNA疫苗免疫效果更为明显,并且电脉冲和布吡卡因组合这种递送方式增强DNA疫苗体液免疫和细胞免疫水平最高;与传统DNA疫苗相比,A型肉毒毒素DNA复制子疫苗在这些递送方式下均诱导产生了更好的特异性体液免疫和细胞免疫应答,并且这些递送方式没有改变DNA疫苗的Th1/Th2免疫应答特性,即DNA复制子疫苗诱导产生Th1/Th2混合免疫应答但偏向于Th2途经,而传统DNA疫苗则完全偏向于Th2途经。结论：电脉冲和布吡卡因增强DNA复制子疫苗和传统DNA疫苗的免疫效果,是提高DNA疫苗免疫原性的良好策略。     

季节性和大流行性H1N1流感血凝素DNA疫苗电穿孔免疫小鼠及攻毒保护实验

在流感病毒疫苗中,DNA疫苗有望成为常规疫苗的替代品.研究构建了两个分别编码A/New Caledonia/20/99（H1N1）和A/California/04/2009（H1N1）流感病毒株血凝素抗原的DNA疫苗pV1A5和pVEH1,目的抗原经验证能够正确表达后,利用小鼠模型通过电穿孔方法肌肉注射免疫进行疫苗免疫效力评价.采用血凝抑制实验和酶联免疫吸附实验对免疫小鼠的血清进行血凝素特异性抗体检测,对血凝素特异性的T淋巴细胞经IFN-γ酶联免疫斑点实验进行检测.然后选择小鼠适应株A/NewCaledonia/20/99（H1N1）100个半数致死剂量对候选疫苗免疫的小鼠攻毒并监测生存率和体重变化率,以此评价疫苗保护效力.两疫苗组免疫小鼠T淋巴细胞和体液免疫水平显著高于pVAX1空载体对照组（P〈0.05）.此外,pV1A5组能够100%保护免疫小鼠抵抗100致死剂量同源病毒小鼠适应株的攻毒,而同种病毒下pVEH1组只有40%的保护率.结果表明,本实验构建的季节性流感DNA疫苗能够对同源病毒攻毒提供完全保护,而大流行流感株DNA疫苗只能部分抵抗季节性流感病毒.     

含乙型肝炎病毒S-PreS1 基因的DNA疫苗与蛋白颗粒疫苗联合免疫可增强免疫应答

为研制新型有效的HBV治疗性疫苗,构建了含PreS1与S融合基因的HBV DNA疫苗,即pVRC-HBSS1 (PreS1 21–47 aa融合在S抗原1–223的羧基端),并制备了CHO表达相同结构的蛋白颗粒亚单位疫苗HBSS1。在Balb/C小鼠中采用不同的DNA免疫方式 (即肌肉注射、皮内注射加电转) 初免3次,蛋白颗粒亚单位疫苗 (不同佐剂) 肌肉注射加强免疫1次,然后我们分析比较了各组疫苗所引起的免疫应答特点。抗体检测结果表明：皮内注射结合电转初免组产生的PreS1与 S特异性抗体水平皆高于肌肉直接注射组。进一步还发现DNA疫苗与蛋白颗粒亚单位疫苗两种疫苗联合应用后S抗原特异的细胞免疫应答 (IFN-γ ELISpot分析) 明显高于DNA疫苗或蛋白颗粒亚单位单独应用,其中皮内注射+电转结合蛋白颗粒亚单位疫苗联合免疫组可产生最强的细胞免疫应答。这些研究为新型HBV 治疗性疫苗的优化设计与合理应用提供了依据。     

鼠疫F1抗原和V抗原双组分候选疫苗的免疫学评价

目的通过由提取的鼠疫F1抗原和重组鼠疫V(rV)抗原组成的鼠疫候选疫苗免疫豚鼠,对其免疫效果进行评价。方法将豚鼠随机分成5个试验组,在免疫后不同时间点采血进行抗体检测、MTT法淋巴细胞增殖试验以及皮肤迟发型超敏反应(DTH)检测。结果抗体检测结果显示,双组分鼠疫候选疫苗能诱导较强的体液免疫应答;MTT细胞增殖结果显示,脾脏淋巴细胞特异性增殖不明显;中剂量组、高剂量组针对F1和rV抗原DTH阳转率均为100%。结论双组分鼠疫候选疫苗能诱导豚鼠体液免疫和细胞免疫应答,该疫苗有希望成为我国新一代鼠疫疫苗。     

共表达PRRSV GP5蛋白和CSFV E2蛋白的“自杀性”DNA疫苗在小鼠体内诱导的免疫应答

为了获得新型双价"自杀性"DNA疫苗,将猪繁殖与呼吸综合征病毒(Porcine reproductive and respiratorysyndrome virus,PRRSV)GP5基因克隆于此前构建的表达猪瘟病毒(Classical swine fever virus,CSFV)E2基因的甲病毒复制子载体疫苗pSFV1CS-E2中.为了增强免疫效果,在密码子优化的GP5基因中插入了泛DR表位(PADRE),在CSFV E2基因后融合伪狂犬病病毒(PrV)UL49基因,获得了6种重组质粒.间接免疫荧光试验显示,PRRSV GP5和CSFV E2基因在瞬时转染的293T细胞中得到同时表达,将6种重组质粒和空载体pSFV1CS分别免疫BALB/c小鼠,用间接ELISA方法检测血清抗体水平,通过基于CSFE/WST-8的淋巴细胞增殖试验和细胞因子ELISA评价疫苗诱导的细胞免疫.结果显示,除pSFV1CS组外,从各疫苗组小鼠血清中均可检测到低水平的针对GP5和E2蛋白的抗体;各疫苗组小鼠脾细胞经CSFV和PRRSV刺激后均能诱导特异性的淋巴细胞增殖:部分疫苗组小鼠脾细胞经CSFV和PRRSV刺激后可分泌较高水平的IFN-γ和IL-4;引入UL49的疫苗组细胞免疫应答显著高于其它疫苗组.结果表明,这些共表达GP5和E2蛋白的自杀性DNA疫苗可以诱导体液免疫和细胞免疫,PrV UL49可以增强其细胞免疫应答.     

基因枪接种乙型肝炎表面抗原促进DNA疫苗诱生的免疫应答转换

目的 为了克服基因枪接种乙型肝炎表面抗原(HBsAg)DNA疫苗诱生的免疫应答以Th2为主的缺点,在基因枪接种质粒HBsAg DNA疫苗的同时共导入或共表达乙型肝炎病毒壳(HBV core)基因作为佐剂,以促进其所诱生的HBsAg特异性的Th2型免疫应答向Tn1型转换。方法 构建可单独或共同表达HBsAg或核心抗原(HBcAg)的DNA免疫用载体pIRKS／core、pIRES／C149、pIRES／S、pIRES／S／Core和pIRES／S／C149,并在真核细胞进行表达验证。对BALB／c雌鼠进行免疫并检测小鼠免疫后的特异性体液免疫和细胞免疫指标。结果 共导入或共表达HBV core基因能增强基因枪接种HBsAg DNA疫苗诱生的Th1型免疫应答水平,包括HBsAg特异的IgG2a应答、CTL活性、IFN-γ产生能力等。结论 以HBV core基因为佐剂能促进基因枪接种HBsAg DNA疫苗诱生的Th2型免疫应答向Th1型免疫应答转换。     

Novel approach to the development of effective H5N1 influenza A virus vaccines: use of M2 cytoplasmic tail mutants

Outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N1 influenza viruses in avian species began in Asia and have since spread to other continents. Concern regarding the pandemic potential of these viruses in humans is clearly warranted, and there is an urgent need to develop effective vaccines against them. Previously, we and others demonstrated that deletions of the M2 cytoplasmic tail caused a growth defect in A/WSN/33 (H1N1) influenza A virus in vitro (K. Iwatsuki-Horimoto, T. Horimoto, T. Noda, M. Kiso, J. Maeda, S. Watanabe, Y. Muramoto, K. Fujii, and Y. Kawaoka, J. Virol. 80:5233-5240, 2006; M. F. McCown and A. Pekosz, J. Virol. 79:3595-3605, 2005; M. F. McCown and A. Pekosz, J. Virol. 80:8178-8189, 2006). We therefore tested the feasibility of using M2 tail mutants as live attenuated vaccines against H5N1 virus. First we generated a series of highly pathogenic H5N1 (A/Vietnam/1203/04 [VN1203]) M2 cytoplasmic tail deletion mutants and examined their growth properties in vitro and in vivo. We found that one mutant, which contains an 11-amino-acid deletion from the C terminus (M2del11 virus), grew as well as the wild-type virus but replicated in mice less efficiently. We then generated a recombinant VN1203M2del11 virus whose hemagglutinin (HA) gene was modified by replacing sequences at the cleavage site with those of an avirulent type of HA (M2del11-HAavir virus). This M2del11-HAavir virus protected mice against challenge with lethal doses of homologous (VN1203; clade 1) and antigenically distinct heterologous (A/Indonesia/7/2005; clade 2) H5N1 viruses. Our results suggest that M2 cytoplasmic tail mutants have potential as live attenuated vaccines against H5N1 influenza viruses.     

Highly conserved M2e and hemagglutinin epitope-based recombinant proteins induce protection against influenza virus infection

Highly pathogenic influenza viruses continue to cause serious threat to public health due to their pandemic potential, calling for an urgent need to develop effective, safe, convenient, and universal vaccines against influenza virus infection. In this study, we constructed two recombinant protein vaccines, 2H5M2e-2H7M2e-H5FP-H7FP (hereinafter M2e-FP-1) and 2H5M2e-H5FP-2H7M2e-H7FP (hereinafter M2e-FP-2), by respectively linking highly conserved sequences of two molecules of ectodomain of M2 (M2e) and one molecule of fusion peptide (FP) epitope of hemagglutinin (HA) of H5N1 and H7N9 influenza viruses in different orders. The Escherichia coli-expressed M2e-FP-1 and M2e-FP-2 proteins induced similarly high-titer M2e-FP-specific antibodies in the immunized mice. Importantly, both proteins were able to prevent lethal challenge of heterologous H1N1 influenza virus, with significantly reduced viral titers and alleviated pathological changes in the lungs, as well as increased body weight and complete survivals, in the challenge mice. Taken together, our study demonstrates that highly conserved M2e and FP epitope of HA of H5N1 and H7N9 influenza viruses can be used as important targets for development of safe and economical universal influenza vaccines, and that the position of H7N9 M2e and H5N1 HA epitope sequences in the vaccine components has no significant effects on the immunogenicity and efficacy of M2e-FP-based subunit vaccines.     

Comparative Efficacy of Hemagglutinin,Nucleoprotein, and Matrix 2 Protein Gene-Based Vaccination against H5N1 Influenza in Mouse and Ferret

Efforts to develop a broadly protective vaccine against the highly pathogenic avian influenza A (HPAI) H5N1 virus have focused on highly conserved influenza gene products. The viral nucleoprotein (NP) and ion channel matrix protein (M2) are highly conserved among different strains and various influenza A subtypes. Here, we investigate the relative efficacy of NP and M2 compared to HA in protecting against HPAI H5N1 virus. In mice, previous studies have shown that vaccination with NP and M2 in recombinant DNA and/or adenovirus vectors or with adjuvants confers protection against lethal challenge in the absence of HA. However, we find that the protective efficacy of NP and M2 diminishes as the virulence and dose of the challenge virus are increased. To explore this question in a model relevant to human disease, ferrets were immunized with DNA/rAd5 vaccines encoding NP, M2, HA, NP+M2 or HA+NP+M2. Only HA or HA+NP+M2 vaccination conferred protection against a stringent virus challenge. Therefore, while gene-based vaccination with NP and M2 may provide moderate levels of protection against low challenge doses, it is insufficient to confer protective immunity against high challenge doses of H5N1 in ferrets. These immunogens may require combinatorial vaccination with HA, which confers protection even against very high doses of lethal viral challenge.     

Pathogenicity and vaccine efficacy of different clades of Asian H5N1 avian influenza A viruses in domestic ducks

Waterfowl represent the natural reservoir of all subtypes of influenza A viruses, including H5N1. Ducks are especially considered major contributors to the spread of H5N1 influenza A viruses because they exhibit diversity in morbidity and mortality. Therefore, as a preventive strategy against endemic as well as pandemic influenza, it is important to reduce the spread of H5N1 influenza A viruses in duck populations. Here, we describe the pathogenicity of dominant clades (clades 1 and 2) of H5N1 influenza A viruses circulating in birds in Asia. Four representatives of dominant clades of the viruses cause symptomatic infection but lead to different profiles of lethality in domestic ducks. We also demonstrate the efficacy, cross-protectiveness, and immunogenicity of three different inactivated oil emulsion whole-virus H5 influenza vaccines (derived by implementing reverse genetics) to the viruses in domestic ducks. A single dose of the vaccines containing 1 μg of hemagglutinin protein provides complete protection against a lethal A/Duck/Laos/25/06 (H5N1) influenza virus challenge, with no evidence of morbidity, mortality, or shedding of the challenge virus. Moreover, two of the three vaccines achieved complete cross-clade or cross-subclade protection against the heterologous avian influenza virus challenge. Interestingly, the vaccines induce low or undetectable titers of hemagglutination inhibition (HI), cross-HI, and/or virus neutralization antibodies. The mechanism of complete protection in the absence of detectable antibody responses remains an open question.     

Cross Protection against Influenza A Virus by Yeast-Expressed Heterologous Tandem Repeat M2 Extracellular Proteins

The influenza M2 ectodomain (M2e) is well conserved across human influenza A subtypes, but there are few residue changes among avian and swine origin influenza A viruses. We expressed a tandem repeat construct of heterologous M2e sequences (M2e5x) derived from human, swine, and avian origin influenza A viruses using the yeast expression system. Intramuscular immunization of mice with AS04-adjuvanted M2e5x protein vaccines was effective in inducing M2e-specific antibodies reactive to M2e peptide and native M2 proteins on the infected cells with human, swine, or avian influenza virus, mucosal and systemic memory cellular immune responses, and cross-protection against H3N2 virus. Importantly, M2e5x immune sera were found to confer protection against different subtypes of H1N1 and H5N1 influenza A viruses in naïve mice. Also, M2e5x-immune complexes of virus-infected cells stimulated macrophages to secrete cytokines via Fc receptors, indicating a possible mechanism of protection. The present study provides evidence that M2e5x proteins produced in yeast cells could be developed as a potential universal influenza vaccine.     

Multimeric Recombinant M2e Protein-Based ELISA: A Significant Improvement in Differentiating Avian Influenza Infected Chickens from Vaccinated Ones

Killed avian influenza virus (AIV) vaccines have been used to control H5N1 infections in countries where the virus is endemic. Distinguishing vaccinated from naturally infected birds (DIVA) in such situations however, has become a major challenge. Recently, we introduced the recombinant ectodomain of the M2 protein (M2e) of H5N1 subtype as a novel tool for an ELISA based DIVA test. Despite being antigenic in natural infection the monomer form of the M2e used in ELISA had limited antigenicity and consequently poor diagnostic capability. To address this shortcoming, we evaluated the use of four tandem copies of M2e (tM2e) for increased efficiency of M2e antibody detection. The tM2e gene of H5N1 strain from Indonesia (A/Indonesia/CDC540/2006) was cloned into a pMAL- p4x expression vector and expressed in E.coli as a recombinant tM2e-MBP or M2e-MBP proteins. Both of these, M2e and tM2e antigens reacted with sera obtained from chickens following live H5N1 infection but not with sera from vaccinated birds. A significantly stronger M2e antibody reaction was observed with the tM2e compared to M2e antigen. Western blotting also supported the superiority of tM2e over M2e in detection of specific M2e antibodies against live H5N1 infection. Results from this study demonstrate that M2e tetramer is a better antigen than single M2e and could be more suitable for an ELISA based DIVA test.     

Efficacy of seasonal pandemic influenza hemagglutinin DNA vaccines delivered by electroporation against aseasonal H1N1 virus challenge in mice

Prophylactic DNA vaccines against the influenza virus are promising alternatives to conventional vaccines. In this study, we generated two candidate gene-based influenza vaccines encoding either the seasonal or pandemic hemagglutinin antigen (HA) from the strains A/New Caledonia/20/99 (H1N1) (pV1A5) and A/California/04/2009 (H1N1) (pVEH1), respectively. After verifying antigen expression, the immunogenicity of the vaccines delivered intramuscularly with electroporation was tested in a mouse model. Sera of immunized animals were tested in hemagglutination inhibition assays and by ELISA for the presence of HA-specific antibodies. HA-specific T-cells were also measured in IFN-γ ELISpot assays. The protective efficacy of the candidate influenza vaccines was evaluated by measuring mortality rates and body weight after a challenge with 100 LD(50) of mouse-adapted A/New Caledonia/20/99 (H1N1). Mice immunized with either one of the two vaccines showed significantly higher T cell and humoral immune responses (P<0.05) than the pVAX1 control group. Additionally, the pV1A5 vaccine effectively protected the mice against a lethal homologous mouse-adapted virus challenge with a survival rate of 100% compared with a 40% survival rate in the pVEH1 vaccinated group (P<0.05). Our study indicates that the seasonal influenza DNA vaccine completely protects against the homologous A/New Caledonia/20/99 virus (H1N1), while the pandemic influenza DNA vaccine only partially protects against this virus.