Open Access

Novel adeno‑associated virus‑based genetic vaccines encoding hepatitis C virus E2 glycoprotein elicit humoral immune responses in mice

  • Authors:
    • Fengqin Zhu
    • Yibo Wang
    • Zhen Xu
    • Haiyang Qu
    • Hairong Zhang
    • Lingling Niu
    • Honglu Xue
    • Dehuai Jing
    • Heng He
  • View Affiliations

  • Published online on: December 11, 2018     https://doi.org/10.3892/mmr.2018.9739
  • Pages: 1016-1023
  • Copyright: © Zhu et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution License.

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Abstract

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection remains a major public health issue despite the introduction of several direct‑acting antiviral agents (DAAs), with some 185 million individuals infected with HCV worldwide. There is an urgent need for an effective prophylactic HCV vaccine. In the present study, we constructed genetic vaccines based on novel recombinant adeno‑associated viral (rAAV) vectors (AAV2/8 or AAV2/rh32.33) that express the envelope glycoprotein E2 from the HCV genotype 1b. Expression of HCV E2 protein in 293 cells was confirmed by western blot analysis. rAAV2/8.HCV E2 vaccine or rAAV2/rh32.33.HCV E2 vaccine was intramuscularly injected into C57BL/6 mice. HCV E2‑specific antigen was produced, and long‑lasting specific antibody responses remained detectable XVI weeks following immunization. In addition, the rAAV2/rh32.33 vaccine induced higher antigen‑specific antibody levels than the rAAV2/8 vaccine or AAV plasmid. Moreover, both AAV vaccines induced neutralizing antibodies against HCV genotypes 1a and 1b. Finally, it is worth mentioning that neutralizing antibody levels directed against AAV2/rh32.33 were lower than those against AAV2/8 in both mouse and human serum. These results demonstrate that AAV vectors, especially the AAVrh32.33, have particularly favorable immunogenicity for development into an effective HCV vaccine.
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February-2019
Volume 19 Issue 2

Print ISSN: 1791-2997
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Spandidos Publications style
Zhu F, Wang Y, Xu Z, Qu H, Zhang H, Niu L, Xue H, Jing D and He H: Novel adeno‑associated virus‑based genetic vaccines encoding hepatitis C virus E2 glycoprotein elicit humoral immune responses in mice. Mol Med Rep 19: 1016-1023, 2019
APA
Zhu, F., Wang, Y., Xu, Z., Qu, H., Zhang, H., Niu, L. ... He, H. (2019). Novel adeno‑associated virus‑based genetic vaccines encoding hepatitis C virus E2 glycoprotein elicit humoral immune responses in mice. Molecular Medicine Reports, 19, 1016-1023. https://doi.org/10.3892/mmr.2018.9739
MLA
Zhu, F., Wang, Y., Xu, Z., Qu, H., Zhang, H., Niu, L., Xue, H., Jing, D., He, H."Novel adeno‑associated virus‑based genetic vaccines encoding hepatitis C virus E2 glycoprotein elicit humoral immune responses in mice". Molecular Medicine Reports 19.2 (2019): 1016-1023.
Chicago
Zhu, F., Wang, Y., Xu, Z., Qu, H., Zhang, H., Niu, L., Xue, H., Jing, D., He, H."Novel adeno‑associated virus‑based genetic vaccines encoding hepatitis C virus E2 glycoprotein elicit humoral immune responses in mice". Molecular Medicine Reports 19, no. 2 (2019): 1016-1023. https://doi.org/10.3892/mmr.2018.9739