Frontiers in Immunology (Jun 2023)

Self-assembled ferritin nanoparticles displaying PcrV and OprI as an adjuvant-free Pseudomonas aeruginosa vaccine

  • Yuhang Li,
  • Yuhang Li,
  • Ruixue Pu,
  • Yi Zhang,
  • Yiwen Zhang,
  • Yujie Wei,
  • Sheng Zeng,
  • Chen Gao,
  • Ying Wang,
  • Daijiajia Yin,
  • Yueyue Zhang,
  • Jiqing Wan,
  • Quanming Zou,
  • Quanming Zou,
  • Jiang Gu

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2023.1184863
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 14

Abstract

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IntroductionSerious infections of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) in hospitals and the emergence and increase of multidrug resistance have raised an urgent need for effective vaccines. However, no vaccine has been approved to date. One possible reason for this is the limited immune response due to the lack of an efficient delivery system. Self-assembled ferritin nanoparticles are good carriers of heterogeneous antigens, which enhance the activation of immunological responses.MethodsIn this study, two well-studied antigen candidates, PcrV and OprI, were selected and connected to the ferritin nanoparticle by the Spytag/SpyCatcher system to generate the nanovaccine rePO-FN.ResultsCompared to recombinant PcrV-OprI formulated with aluminum adjuvants, intramuscular immunization with adjuvant-free rePO-FN induced quick and efficient immunity and conferred protection against PA pneumonia in mice. In addition, intranasal immunization with adjuvant-free rePO-FN enhanced protective mucosal immunity. Moreover, rePO-FN exhibited good biocompatibility and safety.DiscussionOur results suggest that rePO-FN is a promising vaccine candidate, as well as, provide additional evidence for the success of ferritin-based nanovaccines.

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