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Insect Cell-Based Quadrivalent Seasonal Influenza Virus-like Particles Vaccine Elicits Potent Immune Responses in
A T M Badruzzaman1,2, Yu-Chieh Cheng1, Wang-Chou Sung1
1National Institute of Infectious Diseases and Vaccinology, National Health Research Institutes (NHRI), 35 Keyan Road, Zhunan 350, Taiwan.
Vaccines
|June 27, 2024
Summary
New insect cell-based virus-like particle (VLP) vaccines offer a promising alternative to traditional egg-based influenza vaccines. These quadrivalent VLPs demonstrated comparable immunogenicity, addressing production challenges and ensuring vaccine supply.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Vaccinology
- Biotechnology
Background:
- Influenza viruses cause significant global health threats, necessitating effective vaccination strategies.
- Current egg-based influenza vaccine production faces limitations, including antigenic drift, reduced efficacy, and scalability issues.
- Alternative vaccine platforms are crucial for meeting global demand and mitigating pandemic risks.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and evaluate a novel quadrivalent influenza vaccine using a baculovirus expression vector system in insect cells.
- To engineer virus-like particles (VLPs) expressing hemagglutinin (HA), neuraminidase (NA), and M1 proteins from seasonal influenza strains.
- To assess the functional, antigenic, and immunogenic characteristics of the developed VLPs.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a baculovirus expression vector system to express HA, NA, and M1 genes from A/H1N1, A/H3N2, B/Yamagata, and B/Victoria strains.
- Generated quadrivalent virus-like particles (VLPs).
- Assessed VLP characteristics including hemagglutination, protein composition, morphology, stability, and immunogenicity in mice.
Main Results:
- Recombinant VLPs exhibited functional activity, mimicking influenza virions in morphology and size with preserved structural integrity.
- Quadrivalent VLPs induced comparable hemagglutination inhibition and neutralizing antibody titers against homologous viruses in mice.
- Immunogenicity results were consistent when compared to commercial recombinant HA and egg-based vaccines (Vaxigrip).
Conclusions:
- Insect cell-based VLP influenza vaccines are a viable and promising alternative to conventional egg-based production.
- The developed quadrivalent VLPs demonstrate potential for effective seasonal influenza vaccine candidates.
- Further research is warranted to advance VLP technology for influenza vaccine development.
