[Particulate recombinant hepatitis E virus capsid protein and its antigenicity and immunogenicity]

Sheng Wu Gong Cheng Xue Bao. 2004 Mar;20(2):262-8.
[Article in Chinese]

Abstract

An E. coli expressed recombinant antigen NE2 was reported to aggregate into homo-oligomer, and can induce protective antibodies on rhesus monkey, but its immunogenicty was much weak after being purified. In this study, three N-terminal extension mutant of NE2 were expressed in E. coli, one of which named HEV 239 was found to aggregate into particle. HEV 239 antigen had good reactivity with sera of hepatitis E patients. The reactivity of HEV 239 against neutralization monoclonal antibody 8C11 was similar as NE2 antigen, while the reactivity of it against another neutralization monoclonal antibody 8H3 is much better than NE2 antigen, which indicated better antigenicity of HEV 239 than NE2. The diameter of purified HEV 239 particulate antigen was between 15 nm to 30 nm. The ED50 of immunization of HEV 239 particle adsorbed by aluminum adjuvant to BALB/c mice was between 0.08 microg to 0.25 microg. In contrast, the seraconversion rate of mice immunized by NE2 antigen adsorbed by aluminium adjuvant was only 25% on 60 microg vaccination. These results suggested that HEV 239 antigen particle has better immunogenicity as well as antigenicity than those of NE2 antigen, so it is a better vaccine candidate against HEV.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Escherichia coli / genetics
  • Escherichia coli / metabolism
  • Female
  • Genetic Vectors / genetics
  • Hepatitis Antigens / immunology
  • Hepatitis E virus / genetics*
  • Hepatitis E virus / immunology
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Nucleocapsid Proteins / biosynthesis*
  • Nucleocapsid Proteins / genetics
  • Nucleocapsid Proteins / immunology*
  • Recombinant Proteins / biosynthesis*
  • Recombinant Proteins / genetics
  • Recombinant Proteins / immunology
  • Viral Hepatitis Vaccines / biosynthesis
  • Viral Hepatitis Vaccines / immunology

Substances

  • Hepatitis Antigens
  • Nucleocapsid Proteins
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Viral Hepatitis Vaccines
  • nucleocapsid protein, Hepatitis virus