Oral administration of genetically modifiedBifidobacteriumdisplaying HCV-NS3 multi-epitope fusion protein could induce an HCV-NS3-specific systemic immune response in mice

• Published in: Vaccine Vol. 32; no. 25; p. 3066
• Main Authors: Takei, Saki, Omoto, Chika, Kitagawa, Koichi, Morishita, Naoya, Katayama, Takane, Shigemura, Katsumi, Fujisawa, Masato, Kawabata, Masato, Hotta, Hak, Shirakawa, Toshiro
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Limited 23.05.2014
• Subjects: Bacteria; E coli; Genetic engineering; Genotype & phenotype; Immune response; Infections; Interferon; Liver cirrhosis; Peptides; Probiotics; Proteins; Salmonella; Science; Technological change; Vaccines; Yogurt; Japan
• ISSN: 0264-410X; 1873-2518
• DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2014.03.022

More than 170 million people worldwide are chronic HCV (Hepatitis C virus) carriers, and about 30% of them will develop progressive liver disease, such as cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. A combination of pegylated interferon-[alpha] with ribavirin, the standard treatment for HCV infection, has been effective in fewer than 50% of patients infected with HCV genotype 1. A strong T cell response against the nonstructural protein 3 (NS3) is important for recovery from acute HCV infection, and an early multi-specific CD4+ helper and CD8+ cytotoxic T cell response is critical for HCV clearance. In the present study, we successfully constructed a genetically modifiedBifidobacterium longum(B. longum) displaying recombinant HCV-NS3 peptides containing some CD4 and CD8 epitopes located in the HCV-NS3 region as an oral vaccine against chronic HCV infection. The oral administration of this vaccine could induce NS3-specific immune responses in mice through intestinal mucosal immunity. Our findings suggest that this novel oral vaccine has great potential as a novel oral vaccine against chronic HCV infection.