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. 2015 Oct 10;30(5):363–370. doi: 10.1007/s12250-015-3620-5

Rotavirus VP7 epitope chimeric proteins elicit cross-immunoreactivity in guinea pigs

Bingxin Zhao 1, Xiaoxia Pan 2, Yumei Teng 1, Wenyue Xia 1, Jing Wang 1, Yuling Wen 1, Yuanding Chen 1,✉
PMCID: PMC8200902  PMID: 26459269

Abstract

VP7 of group A rotavirus (RVA) contains major neutralizing epitopes. Using the antigenic protein VP6 as the vector, chimeric proteins carrying foreign epitopes have been shown to possess good immunoreactivity and immunogenicity. In the present study, using modified VP6 as the vector, three chimeric proteins carrying epitopes derived from VP7 of RVA were constructed. The results showed that the chimeric proteins reacted with anti-VP6 and with SA11 and Wa virus strains. Antibodies from guinea pigs inoculated with the chimeric proteins recognized VP6 and VP7 of RVA and protected mammalian cells from SA11 and Wa infection in vitro. The neutralizing activities of the antibodies against the chimeric proteins were significantly higher than those against the vector protein VP6F. Thus, development of chimeric vaccines carrying VP7 epitopes using VP6 as a vector could be a promising alternative to enhance immunization against RVAs. graphic file with name 12250_2015_3620_Figa_HTML.jpg

Keywords: rotavirus, VP7 epitope chimeric vaccine, VP6, foreign epitope presenting vector, neutralizing activity

Footnotes

ORCID: 0000-0002-1524-5663

These authors contributed equally to this work.

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