Abstract
The global spread of Zika virus (ZIKV) as well as its unexpected link to infant microcephaly have resulted in serious public health concerns. No antiviral drugs against ZIKV is currently available, and vaccine development is of high priority to prepare for potential ZIKV pandemic. In the present study, a truncated E protein with the N-terminal 90% region reserved (E90) from a contemporary ZIKV strain was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli, purified by a Ni-NTA column, and characterized by Western blotting assays. Immunization with recombinant E90 induced robust ZIKV-specific humoral response in adult BALB/c mice. Passive transfer of the antisera from E90-immunized mice conferred full protection against lethal ZIKV challenge in a neonatal mice model. Our results indicate that recombinant ZIKV E90 described here represents as a promising ZIKV subunit vaccine that deserves further clinical development.
Highlights
Zika virus (ZIKV), family Flaviviridae, genus Flavivirus, which was discovered in the Zika forest in Uganda in 1947, is a newly emerging pathogen related to microcephly since 2015 in South America[1]
We described the fast development of a recombinant subunit vaccine candidate ZIKV E90 based on the most convenient and economic Escherichia coli (E. coli) expression system
The antigenicity, immunogenicity, and protection efficacy in mice of recombinant E90 profiled in our study suggest further clinical development as promising vaccine candidate against ZIKV
Summary
Zika virus (ZIKV), family Flaviviridae, genus Flavivirus, which was discovered in the Zika forest in Uganda in 1947, is a newly emerging pathogen related to microcephly since 2015 in South America[1]. The antigenicity, immunogenicity, and protection efficacy in mice of recombinant E90 profiled in our study suggest further clinical development as promising vaccine candidate against ZIKV. Immunization of recombinant E90 elicited ZIKV-specific neutralizing antibodies in mice.
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