Qiao Yongbo, Tang Mengru, Du Mo, Zhao Chen, Lv Yuan, Zhou Junjun, Liu Ying, Wang Yutian, Li Shuang, Wu Yehong
Changchun Institute of Biological Products Co.,Ltd, Changchun, China; State Key Laboratory of Novel Vaccines for Emerging Infectious Diseases, China National Biotec Group Company Limited, Beijing, China.
Changchun Institute of Biological Products Co.,Ltd, Changchun, China; Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering, School of Engineering, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China.
Virology. 2025 Nov;612:110672. doi: 10.1016/j.virol.2025.110672. Epub 2025 Aug 29.
Avian influenza virus infections pose a potential pandemic threat. The currently licensed vaccines have inherent limitations, emphasizing the urgent need for improved influenza vaccines. Here, we developed a novel hemagglutinin (HA) virus-like particle (VLP) vaccine candidate through the baculovirus expression vector system (BEVS). The engineered VLPs incorporate HA from H5N1 and matrix 1 (M1) protein from H1N1. Comprehensive characterization revealed that purified HA VLPs exhibited morphological fidelity to native influenza virions while maintaining key viral biological properties. Immunization studies in murine models demonstrated the superior immunogenicity of HA VLPs through a prime-boost regimen. Compared to control groups receiving HA monomer or T4-foldon-trimerized HA formulations, VLP-immunized mice showed significantly enhanced humoral responses and robust cellular immunity. This study provides compelling evidence for advancing VLP-based vaccines as a superior alternative to conventional influenza vaccine formulations.
禽流感病毒感染构成潜在的大流行威胁。目前已获许可的疫苗存在固有局限性，这凸显了改进流感疫苗的迫切需求。在此，我们通过杆状病毒表达载体系统（BEVS）开发了一种新型血凝素（HA）病毒样颗粒（VLP）候选疫苗。工程化的VLPs包含来自H5N1的HA和来自H1N1的基质1（M1）蛋白。全面表征显示，纯化的HA VLPs在保持关键病毒生物学特性的同时，对天然流感病毒粒子具有形态保真度。在小鼠模型中的免疫研究通过初免-加强免疫方案证明了HA VLPs具有卓越的免疫原性。与接受HA单体或T4-折叠三聚化HA制剂的对照组相比，接受VLP免疫的小鼠表现出显著增强的体液反应和强大的细胞免疫。这项研究为推进基于VLP的疫苗作为传统流感疫苗制剂的优越替代品提供了有力证据。
