The recombinant vaccine of Lactobacillus plantarum elicits immune protection against H1N1 and H9N2 influenza virus infection

• Published in: International journal of biological macromolecules Vol. 275; no. Pt 1; p. 133453
• Main Authors: Zhou, Yuanbao, Lin, Zhipeng, Fang, Jiaqing, Wang, Zhihao, Guo, Jinli, Li, Guohong, Xu, Qiaoxia, Jin, Meilin, Chen, Huanchun, Zou, Jiahui, Zhou, Hongbo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01.08.2024
• Subjects: Influenza virus; Lactobacillus plantarum; mini-HA; Influenza virus; mini-HA; Lactobacillus plantarum
• ISSN: 0141-8130; 1879-0003; 1879-0003
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.133453

Influenza A virus (IAV) causes annual epidemics and occasional pandemics, resulting in significant economic losses and numerous fatalities. Current vaccines, typically administered through injection, provide limited protection due to the frequent antigenic shift and drift of IAV strains. Therefore, the development of alternative broad-spectrum vaccine strategies is imperative. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) represent promising candidates for vaccine engineering due to their low cost, high safety profile, and suitability for oral administration. In this study, we identified a strain of Lactobacillus plantarum (Lp) that is resistant to acid and bile salts and capable of colonizing the intestines of mice. Subsequently, we employed the RecE/T gene editing system to integrate headless hemagglutinins (mini-HA) into the genome of Lp, generating Lp-mini-HA-SP. Remarkably, immunization with Lp-mini-HA-SP elicited serum IgG antibody responses and conferred immune protection against H9N2 and H1N1 influenza virus challenges. Collectively, our findings offer a novel approach for the development of orally administered IAV vaccines and hold significant potential for future drug development endeavors. •L. plantarum could proliferate in weakly acidic and low bile salt environment.•L. plantarum could colonize with the mouse intestine for 9 days.•Mini-HA was integrated into the genome of L. plantarum by RecE/T gene editing.•Lp-mini-HA-SP showed immune protection against for H9N2 and H1N1 influenza virus.