Recombinant VLPs empower RBM peptides showing no immunogenicity in native SARS-COV-2 protein to elicit a robust neutralizing antibody response.
Nanomedicine
; 41: 102527, 2022 04.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1654961
ABSTRACT
New SARS-COV-2 vaccine strategies are still urgently needed, especially for emerging virus mutations and variants. In this study, we focused on analyzing the antigenicity and vaccine potency of linear peptide epitopes located in receptor binding motif (RBM) of spike (S) protein. Nine 12 to 16-mer overlapping peptides (P1-P9) were synthesized chemically and coupled to carrier protein KLH for the immunization in mice. Four of identified peptides were further engineered to present on the surface of recombinant Hepatitis B core antigen (HBcAg) virus-like particles (VLPs) respectively. Antisera obtained from VLPs -immunized mice demonstrated strong reactivity and affinity to S1 protein or inactivated virus and neutralizing activity against virus infection in vitro. This study indicates that recombinant VLPs empower peptides which display underprivileged antigenicity in native protein to elicit high levels of neutralizing antibody, providing potential epitope candidates and an effective delivery strategy for the development of a multi-epitope vaccine.
Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Antibodies, Neutralizing
/
COVID-19
Topics:
Vaccines
/
Variants
Limits:
Animals
/
Humans
Language:
English
Journal:
Nanomedicine
Journal subject:
Biotechnology
Year:
2022
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
J.nano.2022.102527
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