Virus-like particles vaccine of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus spike 1 protein induces protective immunity challenge in piglets

Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) is a highly contagious intestinal disease that impairs piglet growth and development, causing significant economic losses. Therefore, developing an effective vaccine is crucial for preventing and controlling PEDV. This study used a eukaryotic expression system to assemble S1 with Ferritin into virus-like particles (S1-F-VLP) via SpyTag-SpyCatcher and confirmed their immunogenicity and protective efficacy. The results showed no mouse deaths or sow abortions during S1-F-VLP vaccination, confirming its safety. In mouse, sow and piglet models, S1-F-VLP vaccination induced high levels of PEDV-specific antibodies including serum IgG, IgA (IgA) and neutralizing antibodies (NAbs). The piglet challenge test results showed that, compared with the control group, S1-F-VLP-vaccinated piglets had significantly lower diarrhea score and intestinal viral loads, and exhibited markedly reduced intestinal pathological damage. These results indicate that S1-F-VLP confers robust immune protection against the highly virulent PEDV strain and holds promise as a clinical candidate vaccine.

Background:

Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) is a highly contagious intestinal disease that impairs piglet growth and development, causing significant economic losses. Therefore, developing an effective vaccine is crucial for preventing and controlling PEDV.

Methods:

This study used a eukaryotic expression system to assemble S1 with Ferritin into virus-like particles (S1-F-VLP) via SpyTag-SpyCatcher and confirmed their immunogenicity and protective efficacy. Safety and immune responses were evaluated in mouse, sow, and piglet models, and protective efficacy was assessed in a piglet challenge test.

Results:

The results showed no mouse deaths or sow abortions during S1-F-VLP vaccination, confirming its safety. In mouse, sow, and piglet models, S1-F-VLP vaccination induced high levels of PEDV-specific antibodies including serum IgG, IgA, and neutralizing antibodies (NAbs). In the piglet challenge test, compared with the control group, S1-F-VLP-vaccinated piglets had significantly lower diarrhea score and intestinal viral loads, and exhibited markedly reduced intestinal pathological damage.

Data Summary:

The abstract reports no mouse deaths or sow abortions during S1-F-VLP vaccination. It also reports high levels of PEDV-specific antibodies, including serum IgG, IgA, and neutralizing antibodies, and significantly lower diarrhea score and intestinal viral loads in vaccinated piglets compared with the control group. No numerical values are provided.

Conclusions:

These results indicate that S1-F-VLP confers robust immune protection against the highly virulent PEDV strain and holds promise as a clinical candidate vaccine.

Practical Significance:

S1-F-VLP may be used as a vaccine to prevent and control PEDV, reduce piglet diarrhea, intestinal viral loads, and intestinal pathological damage, and help mitigate the significant economic losses associated with PEDV infection.