Recombinant M2e-HA2 fusion protein induced immunity responses against intranasally administered H9N2 influenza virus.

Abstract

Influenza is a highly contagious respiratory tract disease and is considered a serious community health problem. Influenza viruses possess multiple conserved epitopes which are used for designing universal vaccines. To this aim, the gene coding for N-terminal part of M2e (SLLTEVET) and HA2 (GLFGAIAGF), was synthesized, linked by a (Gly4Ser)4 peptide linker, and cloned into pGS-21a vector. Afterwards, the construct was transferred into E. coli BL21 (DE3) cells to produce the designed antigenic protein called M2e-HA2. Immunization of mice with these peptides significantly induced humoral immune responses against the influenza virus. Three weeks after the last booster, mice were inoculated intranasally with 1?أ—?106 EID50 of H9N2 virus. The results indicated that the recombinant M2e-HA2 fusion protein could protect mice against H9N2 virus.