Lactobacillus plantarum displaying conserved M2e and HA2 fusion antigens induces protection against influenza virus challenge

• Published in: Applied microbiology and biotechnology Vol. 102; no. 12; pp. 5077 - 5088
• Main Authors: Yang, Wen-Tao, Yang, Gui-Lian, Zhao, Liang, Jin, Yu-Bei, Jiang, Yan-Long, Huang, Hai-Bin, Shi, Chun-Wei, Wang, Jian-Zhong, Wang, Guan, Kang, Yuan-Huan, Wang, Chun-Feng
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.06.2018; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Antigens; Avian flu; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biotechnological Products and Process Engineering; Biotechnology; Body weight; body weight changes; cell-mediated immunity; Chicks; Construction industry; Cytometry; Disease control; Economic impact; edible vaccines; financial economics; Flow cytometry; fluorescent antibody technique; Fusion protein; Health aspects; hosts; Immune response; Immune response (cell-mediated); Immune system; Immunity; Immunization; Immunofluorescence; Influenza; Influenza A virus; Juveniles; Lactobacilli; Lactobacillus; Lactobacillus plantarum; Life Sciences; Lungs; Lymphocytes; Lymphocytes T; mammals; Microbial Genetics and Genomics; Microbiology; Mucosal immunity; Oral administration; Pandemics; Pharynx; Plant protection; Poultry; poultry industry; Prevention; protective effect; Proteins; throat; Vaccines; viral load; Viruses; Weight reduction; Conserved antigen; Influenza virus; Mucosal immunity; Lactobacillus plantarum
• ISSN: 0175-7598; 1432-0614; 1432-0614
• DOI: 10.1007/s00253-018-8924-6

Avian influenza virus (AIV) can infect poultry, mammals, and other hosts and causes enormous economic losses to the global poultry industry. In this study, to develop a novel and potent oral vaccine based on Lactobacillus plantarum ( L. plantarum ) for controlling the spread of AIV in the poultry industry, we constructed a recombinant L. plantarum strain displaying the 3M2e-HA2 protein of the influenza virus and determined the effect of N/pgsA′-3M2e-HA2 against AIV in chicks. We first confirmed that the 3M2e-HA2 fusion protein was expressed on the surface of L. plantarum via flow cytometry and immunofluorescence experiments. Our experimental results demonstrated that chicks immunized with N/pgsA′-3M2e-HA2 could induce specific humoral, mucosal, and T cell-mediated immune responses, eliciting the host body to protect itself against AIV. Additionally, compared to oral administration, the intranasal immunization of chicks with N/pgsA′-3M2e-HA2 provided a stronger immune response, resulting in a potent protective effect that hindered the loss of body weight, decreasing pulmonary virus titers and reducing lung and throat pathological damages. Thus, our results indicate that our novel approach is an effective method of vaccine design to promote mucosal immunity.