[Expression and characterization of two outer capsid proteins VP2 and VP5 of bluetongue virus in insect cells].

OBJECTIVE

To study the biological characteristics of the outer capsid proteins VP2 and VP5 of bluetongue virus (BTV) expressed in insect cells and their potential use in the assembly of BTV and genetic engineering vaccine.

METHODS

The genes which encode the two outer capsid proteins VP2 and VP5 of bluetongue virus (BTV) 10 were separately cloned into pFastBac1 vector and the corresponding recombinant baculoviruses were obtained.

RESULTS

BTV VP2 could be expressed in Sf-9 cells better than VP5. Further works indicated that VP2 could elicit neutralizing antibodies to BTV10(1:64), and also could partially neutralize BTV1(1:16), but could not neutralize BTV13. The co-immunizing of VP2 and VP5 could induce higher neutralizing antibodies to BTV10 and BTV1. VP2 also showed a hemagglutination activity.

CONCLUSION

VP2 expressed in insect cells could induce neutralizing antibodies to BTV and had the biological activity of hemagglutination, VP5 could enhance the ability of neutralizing antibody induction of VP2, they can be used for the assembly of virus-like particles and for the development of genetic engineering vaccine.