Plant-expressed Zika virus envelope protein elicited protective immunity against the Zika virus in immunocompetent mice

• Published in: Scientific reports Vol. 13; no. 1; pp. 22955 - 16
• Main Authors: Shin, Minna, Kang, Hyangju, Shin, Kyeong ryeol, Lee, Rangyeon, Kim, Kiju, Min, Kyungmin, Cho, Kyou-Nam, Sohn, Eun-Ju, Kim, Kwang Sung, Kim, Seok-Hyun, Cho, Yang Je, Park, Jeongho, Hahn, Tae-Wook
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 27.12.2023; Nature Publishing Group; Nature Portfolio
• Subjects: 692/699; 692/699/255; 692/699/255/2514; Aluminum; Animals; Antibodies; Antibodies, Neutralizing; Antibodies, Viral; Antigen presentation; Cell-mediated immunity; Cross-protection; Cytokines; Dengue fever; Env protein; Female; Genetic crosses; Guillain-Barre syndrome; Humanities and Social Sciences; Humoral immunity; Immunization; Immunocompetence; Infections; Mice; multidisciplinary; Neonates; Proteins; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Vaccines; Vector-borne diseases; Veterinary medicine; Viral envelope proteins; Viral Envelope Proteins - genetics; Viral Vaccines; Viruses; West Nile virus; Zika Virus; Zika Virus Infection
• ISSN: 2045-2322; 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-47428-7

Zika virus infection causes multiple clinical issues, including Guillain–Barré syndrome and neonatal malformation. Vaccination is considered as the only strategy for the prevention of ZIKV-induced clinical issues. This study developed a plant-based recombinant vaccine that transiently expressed the ZIKV envelope protein (ZikaEnv:aghFc) in Nicotiana benthamiana and evaluated the protective immunity afforded by it in immunocompetent mice. ZikaEnv:aghFc induced both humoral and cellular immunity at a low dose (1–5 μg). This immune-inducing potential was enhanced further when adjuvanted CIA09A. In addition, antigen-specific antibodies and neutralizing antibodies were vertically transferred from immunized females to their progeny and afforded both protective immunity to ZIKV and cross-protection to Dengue virus infection. These results suggest that our plant-based ZIKV vaccine provides a safe and efficient protective strategy with a competitive edge.