Asia I型口蹄疫病毒中和表位与羊IgG重链恒定区的融合表达及免疫原性测定

VP1蛋白是口蹄疫病毒(Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus,FMDV)诱导机体产生抗病毒感染免疫的主要蛋白,含有病毒的若干中和表位。本研究设计和合成了由AsiaI型FMDVVP1蛋白136~160aa和198~211aa两个表位组成的重复串联表位的编码基因,并克隆了羊IgG重链恒定区编码基因。利用BamHI、EcoRI和XhoI位点将2个基因片段依次克隆到pPROExHTb载体,构建成重组质粒pPRO-FshIgG,将其转化大肠杆菌BL21(DE3)感受态细胞,以IPTG诱导表达得到融合蛋白FshIgG。100μgFshIgG蛋白免疫豚鼠后刺激豚鼠产生了高效价的FMDV中和抗体,而且使这些免疫豚鼠在用200ID50剂量FMDV攻击时得到了完全保护。由此证明,羊IgG重链恒定区蛋白能够作为FMDV表位肽的载体,而融合蛋白FshIgG可成为一种口蹄疫表位疫苗候选物用于口蹄疫的预防。     

Asia Ⅰ型口蹄疫病毒中和表位与羊IgG重链恒定区的融合表达及免疫原性测定

VP1蛋白是口蹄疫病毒(Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus,FMDV)诱导机体产生抗病毒感染免疫的主要蛋白,含有病毒的若干中和表位.本研究设计和合成了由Asia Ⅰ型FMDV VP1蛋白136～160aa和198～211aa两个表位组成的重复串联表位的编码基因,并克隆了羊IgG重链恒定区编码基因.利用BamH I、EcoR I和Xho I位点将2个基因片段依次克隆到pPROExHTb载体,构建成重组质粒pPRO-FshIgG,将其转化大肠杆菌BL21(DE3)感受态细胞,以IPTG诱导表达得到融合蛋白FshIgG.100μg FshIgG蛋白免疫豚鼠后刺激豚鼠产生了高效价的FMDV中和抗体,而且使这些免疫豚鼠在用200 ID_(50)剂量FMDV攻击时得到了完全保护.由此证明,羊IgG重链恒定区蛋白能够作为FMDV表位肽的载体,而融合蛋白FshIgG可成为一种口蹄疫表位疫苗候选物用于口蹄疫的预防.     

口蹄疫病毒三价复合多表位佐剂DNA疫苗构建及其免疫原性

以O型、A型口蹄疫病毒(FMDV)结构蛋白VP1全基因和AsiaI型FMDV两个基因拓扑型的结构蛋白VP1基因上的5个抗原表位基因作为主要免疫原基因,以来源于非结构蛋白3ABC和结构蛋白VP4上的3个Th2细胞表位基因作为辅助基因,构建了O型、A型和Asia1型FMDV复合多表位基因工程疫苗表达盒OAAT,在此基础上,以金黄色葡萄球菌肠毒素A(SEA)为基因佐剂,通过分子设计构建了SEA与OAAT融合表达基因。将构建好的表达盒OAAT与SEA融合表达基因克隆至真核表达载体PVAX1PCMV启动子下游,构建了口蹄疫三价基因佐剂DNA疫苗pEA。经Western blotting和IFA检测,目的蛋白在Hela细胞中获得正确表达。小鼠免疫实验表明,pA和pEA免疫组的血清抗体均能分别与O型、A型和AsiaI抗原反应,与对照组相比差异较显著,且pEA免疫组和灭活疫苗免疫组抗体水平均显著高于pA免疫组;同时pA和pEA免疫小鼠细胞因子IL-2、IFN-γ、IL-4和IL-10较对照组显著提高,且pEA免疫组的IL-2、IFN-γ和IL-4水平明显高于pA免疫组。用O/NY00和Asia1/YNBS/58株FMDV进行...     

Asia 1型口蹄疫病毒抗原表位突变株的构建及其生物学特性分析

为了研制口蹄疫抗原表位突变标记疫苗,本研究以含有Asia 1型口蹄疫病毒(FMDV)c DNA全长的感染性克隆p Asia 1-FMDV作为骨架,将3D蛋白中第27位氨基酸的H和31位的氨基酸N分别突变成Y和R,从而突变3D蛋白的一个抗原表位,将构建的带有突变表位的重组质粒转染BHK-21细胞,成功拯救出一株突变FMDV。经比较后发现,重组病毒的生物学特性与亲本毒株相似。病毒中和试验结果显示,抗重组病毒的血清与亲本病毒有良好的反应性。Western blotting结果表明重组病毒诱导的抗体能与突变的表位合成肽反应而不与野生型病毒的表位合成肽发生反应,从而区分重组病毒与亲本病毒。综上所述,这株抗原表位突变FMDV有望作为口蹄疫标记疫苗候株进一步评估。     

研究报告Ⅱ型脊灰病毒抗原表位嵌合蛋白的免疫学研究

目的：评价以轮状病毒（RV）重组VP6蛋白为载体插入Ⅱ型脊髓灰质炎病毒（PV2）VP1蛋白上的1个抗原表位构建而成的嵌合蛋白的体外免疫学性质。 方法：采用分子克隆和基因重组技术将PV2抗原表位插入到RV载体蛋白上,在大肠杆菌中表达并用SDS-PAGE确认表达产物,再通过动物免疫、Western blot、免疫荧光和病毒血清抗体中和试验分析嵌合蛋白的免疫学性质。结果：成功构建了以VP6为载体的PV2抗原表位嵌合蛋白6F/PV₂N₁,并且在E.coli系统中高效表达,嵌合蛋白免疫的豚鼠血清抗体对RV和PV2具备较好的中和活性。结论：以RV VP6为载体构建的嵌合蛋白具有较好的免疫原性,免疫豚鼠产生血清抗体可中和RV和PV2在体外细胞上的感染;进一步为研发RV/PV2嵌合疫苗提供了较好的基础。     

猪O型口蹄疫病毒细菌样颗粒疫苗的制备与免疫原性鉴定

验证基于革兰氏阳性增强基质(Gram-positive enhancer matrix,GEM)展示口蹄疫病毒细菌样颗粒(Bacteria-like particles,BLP)疫苗的可行性。按照大肠杆菌偏好性密码子优化合成基于猪口蹄疫病毒Mya98株序列的3种抗原基因设计,并将其插入到含有锚钩蛋白基因的原核表达载体p QZ-PA,鉴定阳性后转入Escherichia coli BL21,进行诱导表达。利用SDS-PAGE与Western blotting对目的基因表达及产物的可溶性进行分析。利用GEM颗粒纯化目的蛋白,制备细菌样颗粒疫苗抗原;利用BCA试剂盒测定重组蛋白的浓度,将重组蛋白与白油佐剂乳化,制备疫苗,免疫5周龄小鼠,同时设商品化多肽苗对照与空白对照,免疫后不同时间采集试验小鼠血清,利用口蹄疫病毒多肽ELISA抗体检测试剂盒和O型口蹄疫抗体液相阻断酶联免疫(Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay,ELISA)检测试剂盒检测免疫小鼠血清的抗体水平;利用噻唑蓝比色法(Methylthiazolyldiphenyl-tetrazolium bromide,MTT)测定淋巴细胞增殖情况;利用荧光定量PCR方法检测相关细胞因子表达,评价细胞免疫水平。SDS-PAGE结果表明,设计在大肠杆菌中的3种口蹄疫病毒抗原基因均以可溶形式获得高效表达;Western blotting结果显示,表达的重组蛋白能够与口蹄疫病毒阳性血清发生反应,利用GEM颗粒能够实现重组蛋白的一步离心纯化,制备BLP疫苗抗原;免疫试验结果表明,设计的重组抗原B(T1BT2)4B不但能够刺激免疫小鼠产生更高水平的多肽特异性ELISA抗体与口蹄疫特异性液相阻断抗体,而且产生了更高水平的脾淋巴细胞增殖及Th1型的细胞因子分泌。初步实验结果表明,本研究制备的BLP疫苗GEM-B(T1BT2)4B具有良好的免疫原性,为研究口蹄疫病毒基因工程亚单位疫苗开辟了一条新的思路。     

H5N1亚型AIVHA抗原表位的高效表达及其抗原活性分析

血凝素(hemagglutinin,HA)蛋白是禽流感病毒(avian influenza virus,AIV)的一个重要表面抗原性蛋白,在疾病诊断和防治上有重要意义。本研究为了探讨一种更为简便有效的HA重组蛋白表达途径,利用生物信息学软件,对H5N1亚型AIVHA基因编码的氨基酸序列进行分析,在分析其在大肠杆菌中的密码子偏好性、稀有密码子分布情况及有关蛋白的抗原性等重要特性后,构建了HA抗原表位重组表达质粒pET-32a(+)-HA。经测试,该重组质粒在1mmol/LIPTG诱导剂作用下诱导过夜,能在大肠杆菌Rosetta-gami B(DE3)中高效表达,并得到48.1kD大小的目的重组表达蛋白。重组蛋白用6×His-tagged protein纯化试剂盒纯化后,与福氏佐剂等量混合制备成抗原,以200μg/鸡的剂量皮下注射2月龄SPF鸡3次,采血分离血清。Western-Blot试验结果表明,该重组表达蛋白能分别与所制备的高免鸡血清及H5N1亚型AIV阳性血清发生特异性反应,在硝酸纤维素膜上出现特异性杂交带。说明本试验研究的HA抗原重组表达蛋白具有良好的免疫原性和反应原性,保留了HA蛋白的抗原活性,提示该重组蛋白在H5亚型AIV的防治技术研究中具有重要的实际应用价值。     

O型口蹄疫病毒VP1 T细胞、B细胞表位双拷贝基因与大肠杆菌LTB、STI肠毒素基因融合表达产物的免疫应答

合成O型口蹄疫病毒VP1蛋白中与细胞免疫（21～40表位肽）及体液免疫（141～160表位肽）相关的基因序列2020VP1,运用基因工程技术构建了含有肠毒素大肠杆菌LTB、STI基因及双拷贝2020VP1的融合表达载体r2020-B-2020-STI,转化宿主菌BL21(DE3)RIL后的表达产物经SDS-PAGE分析,结果显示重组融合蛋白的分子量约为45kDa,表达量较高。ELISA实验结果显示,融合蛋白能与霍乱毒素（choleratoxin）CTB抗体特异结合。动物实验表明,融合蛋白能够诱发兔体产生较强的FMDV中和抗体,免疫豚鼠在低浓度FMDV刺激下能够产生特异性T淋巴细胞增殖反应,说明融合蛋白能诱导机体产生FMDV特异性细胞及体液免疫反应;同时,融合蛋白免疫雌鼠能够抵抗大肠杆菌强毒株攻击,免疫兔体能够产生STI中和抗体,且融合蛋白不具STI毒性,证明融合蛋白具有良好的LTB、STI免疫原性。实验结果表明,此融合蛋白具有开发成为口蹄疫及肠毒素腹泻联合疫苗的应用价值。     

FMDV非结构蛋白2C主要表位区与3AB基因的组合表达与活性分析

近年的研究表明, 口蹄疫病毒(FMDV)非结构蛋白(NSP)2C在区分灭活疫苗免疫动物与自然感染动物方面具有潜在的价值, 为了建立敏感性更高的鉴别诊断方法, 将截取了2C蛋白N-端和C-端的主要B细胞表位区和完整3AB蛋白基因组合后, 进行了原核表达, 得到了分子量约为47.6 kD的目的蛋白2C￠3AB。通过Western blotting分析证明, 表达产物能被FMDV感染动物阳性血清识别, 具有很好的反应性。以通过电泳纯化的目的蛋白作抗原进行间接ELISA检测不同来源的动物血清, 结果表明, 该抗原仅与感染动物血清具有很好的反应活性, 而与健康动物与免疫动物血清无反应, 说明重组蛋白2C￠3AB可作为区分灭活疫苗免疫动物与感染动物的鉴别诊断抗原。用2C￠3AB和3ABC为抗原进行间接ELISA, 对比检测田间血清样品, 结果显示2C￠3AB-ELISA敏感性比3ABC-ELISA高。说明以重组蛋白2C￠3AB作为鉴别诊断抗原, 能进一步提高对临界值血清的检出率, 这对区分灭活疫苗免疫动物与FMDV隐性感染动物与带毒动物具有非常重要的意义。     

口蹄疫病毒单克隆抗体的制备及检测应用

用纯化的口蹄疫病毒(Footandmouthdiseasevirus,FMDV)免疫BALB/C小鼠,将免疫鼠的脾细胞与SP2/0骨髓瘤细胞融合,采用有限稀释法进行克隆,经筛选获得多株能稳定分泌抗FMDV单抗的杂交瘤细胞株。选择其中一株(2G12)用于下列实验,其细胞培养上清液的效价是1:256,腹水效价是1:1280;以自行制备的兔抗FMDV高免血清IgG为捕获抗体包被酶联免疫吸附试验微量反应板,以单抗2G12为第二抗体,建立了快速检测FMDV抗原的双抗体夹心ELISA,该方法能检出90ng病毒,而且只与FMDV发生特异性反应,与猪瘟病毒(HCV)、猪蓝耳病病毒(PRRSV)、伪狂犬病毒(PRV)、猪细小病毒(PPV)和乙脑病毒(JEV)均不发生反应。本研究为检测口蹄疫病毒抗原提供了灵敏和特异的方法。     

Correlation between efficacy and structure of recombinant epitope vaccines against bovine type O foot and mouth disease virus

To develop recombinant epitope vaccines against foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV), genes coding for six recombinant proteins (rP1–rP6) consisting of different combinations of B cell and T cell epitope from VP1 capsid protein (VP1) of type O FMDV were constructed and the 3D structure of these proteins analyzed. This revealed a surface-exposed RGD sequence of B cell epitopes in all six recombinant proteins as that in VP1 of FMDV and rP1, rP2 and rP4 globally mimicked the backbone conformation of the VP1. rP1, rP2 and rP4 stimulated guinea pigs to produce higher level of neutralizing antibodies capable of protecting suckling mice against FMDV challenge. rP1 stimulated cattle to produce FMDV-neutralizing antibody. The data suggest that an efficient recombinant epitope vaccine against FMDV should share local similarities with the natural VP1 of FMDV.     

Antigenic stability of foot-and-mouth disease virus variants on serial passage in cell culture.

Two neutralizing monoclonal antibody (MAb)-resistant variants selected from an isolate of foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) type A5 were repeatedly passaged in cell culture and monitored for susceptibility to neutralization by the selecting MAb. A variant isolated with a MAb to a conformational epitope (1-OG2) lost resistance in 20 passages, while a variant isolated with a MAb to a linear epitope (1-HA6) persisted for 30 passages. In both cases, the virus population emerging after passage was antigenically and genetically indistinguishable from the original wild-type parental virus (FMDV A5 Spain-86). Coinfection assays with the wild type and each variant, and between the variants, showed rapid conversion to a homogeneous population. Wild-type virus prevailed over the variants and for coinfection between the variants, the linear epitope variant 1-HA6. While both variants arose from a single nucleotide substitution and reversion to wild type occurred for each, it appears that the variant based on the continuous epitope (1-HA6) was more stable. We discuss the implications of these results for the antigenic diversity of FMDV and its relationship to virus evolution.     

High-yield production of the VP1 structural protein epitope from serotype O foot-and-mouth disease virus in Escherichia coli

For effective control of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), the development of rapid diagnostic systems and vaccines are required against its etiological agent, FMD virus (FMDV). To accomplish this, efficient large-scale expression of the FMDV VP1 protein, with high solubility, needs to be optimized. We attempted to produce high levels of a serotype O FMDV VP1 epitope in Escherichia coli. We identified the subtype-independent serotype O FMDV VP1 epitope sequence and used it to construct a glutathione S-transferase (GST) fusion protein. For efficient production of the FMDV VP1 epitope fused to GST (VP1e–GST), four E. coli strains and three temperatures were examined. The conditions yielding the greatest level of VP1e–GST with highest solubility were achieved with E. coli BL21(DE3) at 25 °C. For high-level production, fed-batch cultures were conducted in 5-l bioreactors. When cells were induced at a high density and complex feeding solutions were supplied, approximately 11 g of VP1e–GST was obtained from a 2.9-l culture. Following purification, the VP1 epitope was used to immunize rabbits, and we confirmed that it induced an immune response.     

A large-scale evaluation of peptide vaccines against foot-and-mouth disease: lack of solid protection in cattle and isolation of escape mutants.

A large-scale vaccination experiment involving a total of 138 cattle was carried out to evaluate the potential of synthetic peptides as vaccines against foot-and-mouth disease. Four types of peptides representing sequences of foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) C3 Argentina 85 were tested: A, which includes the G-H loop of capsid protein VP1 (site A); AT, in which a T-cell epitope has been added to site A; AC, composed of site A and the carboxy-terminal region of VP1 (site C); and ACT, in which the three previous capsid motifs are colinearly represented. Induction of neutralizing antibodies, lymphoproliferation in response to viral antigens, and protection against challenge with homologous infectious virus were examined. None of the tested peptides, at several doses and vaccination schedules, afforded protection above 40%. Protection showed limited correlation with serum neutralization activity and lymphoproliferation in response to whole virus. In 12 of 29 lesions from vaccinated cattle that were challenged with homologous virus, mutant FMDVs with amino acid substitutions at antigenic site A were identified. This finding suggests the rapid generation and selection of FMDV antigenic variants in vivo. In contrast with previous studies, this large-scale vaccination experiment with an important FMDV host reveals considerable difficulties for vaccines based on synthetic peptides to achieve the required levels of efficacy. Possible modifications of the vaccine formulations to increase protective activity are discussed.     

Virus-like particles of recombinant PCV2b carrying FMDV-VP1 epitopes induce both anti-PCV and anti-FMDV antibody responses

Mixed infection of porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) and foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) is devastating to swine populations. To develop an effective vaccine that can protect the pigs from the infection of PCV2 and FMDV, we used the neutralizing B cell epitope region (aa 135–160) of FMDV to replace the regions aa 123–151 and aa 169–194 of the PCV2b Cap protein to generate a recombinant protein designated as Capfb. The Capfb protein was expressed in Escherichia coli system and the purified Capfb protein assembled into virus-like particles (VLPs) through dialysis. The ability of the Capfb protein to induce effective immune response against FMDV and PCV2b was tested in mice and guinea pigs. The results showed that the Capfb-VLPs could elicit anti-PCV2b and anti-FMDV antibody response in mice and guinea pigs without inducing antibodies against decoy epitope. Moreover, the Capfb-VLPs could enhance the percentage and activation of B cells in lymph nodes when the mice were stimulated with inactivated FMDV or PCV2b. These data suggested that the Capfb-VLPs could be an efficacious candidate antigen for developing a novel PCV2b-FMDV bivalent vaccine.

     

DNA vaccination against foot-and-mouth disease via electroporation: study of molecular approaches for enhancing VP1 antigenicity

BACKGROUND: Foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) affects susceptible livestock animals and causes disastrous economic impact. Immunization with plasmid expressing VP1 that contains the major antigenic epitope(s) of FMDV as cytoplasmic protein (cVP1) failed to elicit full protection against FMDV challenge. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, mice were immunized via electroporation with four cDNA expression vectors that were constructed to express VP1 of FMDV, as cytoplasmic (cVP1), secreted (sVP1), membrane-anchored (mVP1) or capsid precursor protein (P1), respectively, to evaluate whether expression of VP1 in specific subcellular compartment(s) would result in better immune responses. RESULTS: Electroporation enhanced immune responses to vectors expressing cVP1 or P1 and expedited the immune responses to vectors expressing sVP1 or mVP1. Immunization of mice via electroporation with mVP1 cDNA was better than sVP1 or cVP1 cDNA in eliciting neutralizing antibodies and viral clearance protection. Vaccination with P1 cDNA, nonetheless, yielded the best immune responses and protection among all four cDNAs that we tested. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that the antigenicity of a VP1 DNA vaccine can be significantly enhanced by altering the cellular localization of the VP1 antigen. Electroporation is a useful tool for enhancing the immune responses of vectors expressing VP1 or P1. By mimicking FMDV more closely than that of transgenic VP1 and eliciting immune responses favorably toward Th2, transgenic P1 may induce more neutralizing antibodies and better protection against FMDV challenge.     

Distinct repertoire of antigenic variants of foot-and-mouth disease virus in the presence or absence of immune selection.

Antigenic variants of foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) were generated and frequently became dominant in clonal populations of FMDV (clone C-S8c1) grown in the absence of anti-FMDV antibodies. We have now passaged eight samples of the same FMDV clone in the presence of a limited amount of neutralizing polyclonal antibodies directed to the major antigenic site A of capsid protein VP1. Complex populations of variants showing increased resistance to polyclonal sera and to site A-specific monoclonal antibodies were selected. Some populations exhibited marked decreases in viral fitness. Multiple amino acid replacements within site A--and also elsewhere in VP1--accumulated upon passage of the virus in either the absence or the presence of neutralizing antibodies. However, antigenically critical replacements at one position in site A occurred repeatedly in FMDV passaged under antibody selection, but they were never observed in many passages carried out either in the absence of antiviral antibodies or in the presence of an irrelevant antiviral serum. Thus, even though antigenic variation of FMDV can occur in the absence or presence of immune selection, critical replacements which lead to important changes in antigenic specificity were observed only as a result of selection by neutralizing antibodies.     

Analysis of neutralizing epitopes on foot-and-mouth disease virus.

For the investigation of the antigenic determinant structure of foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV), neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against complete virus were characterized by Western blot (immunoblot), enzyme immunoassay, and competition experiments with a synthetic peptide, isolated coat protein VP1, and viral particles as antigens. Two of the four MAbs reacted with each of these antigens, while the other two MAbs recognized only complete viral particles and reacted only very poorly with the peptide. The four MAbs showed different neutralization patterns with a panel of 11 different FMDV strains. cDNA-derived VP1 protein sequences of the different strains were compared to find correlations between the primary structure of the protein and the ability of virus to be neutralized. Based on this analysis, it appears that the first two MAbs recognized overlapping sequential epitopes in the known antigenic site represented by the peptide, whereas the two other MAbs recognized conformational epitopes. These conclusions were supported and extended by structural analyses of FMDV mutants resistant to neutralization by an MAb specific for a conformational epitope. These results demonstrate that no amino acid exchanges had occurred in the primary antigenic site of VP1 but instead in the other coat proteins VP2 and VP3, which by themselves do not induce neutralizing antibodies.     

以猪IgG重链恒定区为抗原载体的抗口蹄疫病毒DNA疫苗的研制

口蹄疫(Foot-and-Mouth Disease, FMD)是当今世界上最为严重的家畜传染病之一,主要危害猪、牛、羊等偶蹄动物.FMD的致病原为FMD病毒(FMDV),属小RNA病毒科口蹄疫病毒属,有A、O、C、SATⅠ、SATⅡ、SATⅢ及AsiaⅠ共7个血清型.FMDV结构较简单,完整的病毒颗粒由4种结构蛋白VP1、VP2、VP3及VP4各60个拷贝构成的衣壳包裹一条单股正链RNA组成,其中VP1是主要的抗原蛋白[1].