Microbial Cell Factories (Oct 2020)

Haemagglutinin displayed on the surface of Lactococcus lactis confers broad cross-clade protection against different H5N1 viruses in chickens

  • Han Lei,
  • Tong Gao,
  • Qianhong Cen,
  • Xiaojue Peng

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12934-020-01453-7
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 19, no. 1
pp. 1 – 11

Abstract

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Abstract Background The highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 virus poses a potential threat to the poultry industry. The currently available avian influenza H5N1 vaccines for poultry are clade-specific. Therefore, an effective vaccine for preventing and controlling H5N1 viruses belonging to different clades needs to be developed. Results Recombinant L. lactis/pNZ8148-Spax-HA was generated, and the influenza virus haemagglutinin (HA) protein of A/Vietnam/1203/2004 (H5N1) was displayed on the surface of Lactococcus lactis (L. lactis). Spax was used as an anchor protein. Chickens vaccinated orally with unadjuvanted L. lactis/pNZ8148-Spax-HA could produce significant humoral and mucosal responses and neutralizing activities against H5N1 viruses belonging to different clades. Importantly, unadjuvanted L. lactis/pNZ8148-Spax-HA conferred cross-clade protection against lethal challenge with different H5N1 viruses in the chicken model. Conclusion This study provides insights into the cross-clade protection conferred by unadjuvanted L. lactis/pNZ8148-Spax-HA, and the results might help the establishment of a promising platform for the development of a safe and effective H5N1 cross-clade vaccine for poultry.

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