Oral administration of hepatitis E virus-like particles induces a systemic and mucosal immune response in mice

We evaluated the potential of recombinant hepatitis E virus (rHEV) virus-like particles (VLPs) as an oral immunogen by analyzing the response of serum IgM, IgG, and IgA and fecal IgA in mice after oral administration. The capsid proteins of HEV with its N-terminal 111 amino acids truncated were expressed with a recombinant baculovirus in insect cells, where the capsid proteins self-assembled into VLPs. Mice were orally inoculated four times with purified rHEV VLPs in concentrations ranging from 10 to 100 microg without adjuvant. Serum IgM response was obtained with as little as 10 microg of the VLPs, and the level reached its maximum in all mice groups within 2 weeks after the first administration. Serum IgG was detected by 4 weeks post-immunization (p.i.) in the majority of mice given doses of 50 and 100 microg and continuously increased at least until the 10 week mark. Serum IgA was also detected by 4 weeks p.i. in the majority of mice given doses of 50 and 100 microg, and the level reached the maximum at 8 weeks p.i. Furthermore, the maximum level of intestinal IgA responses was detected in the groups of mice receiving 50 and 100 microg rHEV VLPs at 8 weeks p.i. All these antibody responses were obtained without a mucosal adjuvant. We therefore concluded that oral immunization of rHEV VLPs is capable of inducing systemic as well as intestinal antibody responses. Furthermore, serum IgG and fecal IgA thus induced were reactive to the native HEV antigen, as determined by Western blot assays and antigen-capture ELISA.