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Versatile Virus-Like Particle Carrier for Epitope Based Vaccines

BACKGROUND: Recombinant proteins and in particular single domains or peptides are often poorly immunogenic unless conjugated to a carrier protein. Virus-like-particles are a very efficient means to confer high immunogenicity to antigens. We report here the development of virus-like-particles (VLPs)...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales: Tissot, Alain C., Renhofa, Regina, Schmitz, Nicole, Cielens, Indulis, Meijerink, Edwin, Ose, Velta, Jennings, Gary T., Saudan, Philippe, Pumpens, Paul, Bachmann, Martin F.
Formato: Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: Public Library of Science 2010
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2843720/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20352110
http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0009809
Descripción
Sumario:BACKGROUND: Recombinant proteins and in particular single domains or peptides are often poorly immunogenic unless conjugated to a carrier protein. Virus-like-particles are a very efficient means to confer high immunogenicity to antigens. We report here the development of virus-like-particles (VLPs) derived from the RNA bacteriophage AP205 for epitope-based vaccines. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Peptides of angiotensin II, S.typhi outer membrane protein (D2), CXCR4 receptor, HIV1 Nef, gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH), Influenza A M2-protein were fused to either N- or C-terminus of AP205 coat protein. The A205-peptide fusions assembled into VLPs, and peptides displayed on the VLP were highly immunogenic in mice. GnRH fused to the C-terminus of AP205 induced a strong antibody response that inhibited GnRH function in vivo. Exposure of the M2-protein peptide at the N-terminus of AP205 resulted in a strong M2-specific antibody response upon immunization, protecting 100% of mice from a lethal influenza infection. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: AP205 VLPs are therefore a very efficient and new vaccine system, suitable for complex and long epitopes, of up to at least 55 amino acid residues in length. AP205 VLPs confer a high immunogenicity to displayed epitopes, as shown by inhibition of endogenous GnRH and protective immunity against influenza infection.