We have previously reported that Potato virus X-expressed coat protein of Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) formed virus-like particles (VLPs), which served as carriers for display of different neutralizing epitopes of Newcastle disease virus (NDV). In this work, we further modified the purification protocol of recombinant VLPs carrying short neutralizing epitopes of the NDV proteins and demonstrated...

BACKGROUND Systemic delivery of small interfering RNA (siRNA) is limited by its poor stability and limited cell-penetrating properties. To overcome these limitations, we designed an efficient siRNA delivery system using polyethyleneimine-coated virus-like particles derived from adeno-associated virus type 2 (PEI-AAV2-VLPs). METHODS AAV2-VLPs were produced in insect cells by infection with a b...

The ectodomain of influenza A matrix protein 2 (M2e) is a candidate for a universal influenza A vaccine. We used recombinant Hepatitis B core antigen to produce virus-like particles presenting M2e (M2e-VLPs). We produced the VLPs with and without entrapped nucleic acids and compared their immunogenicity and protective efficacy. Immunization of BALB/c mice with M2e-VLPs containing nucleic acids ...

Virus-like particles (VLPs) assemble spontaneously during the viral cycle or in heterologous systems during expression of viral structural protein. Depending on the complexity of the VLPs, they can be obtained by expression in prokaryotic or eukaryotic expression system from the suitable recombinant vectors, or formed in cell-free conditions. Moreover, they can be built from proteins of a singl...

Recombinant parvovirus-like particles (PPV-VLPs) are particulate exogenous Ags that induce strong CTL response in the absence of adjuvant. In the present report to decipher the mechanisms responsible for CTL activation by such exogenous Ag, we analyzed ex vivo and in vitro the mechanisms of capture and processing of PPV-VLPs by dendritic cells (DCs). In vivo, PPV-VLPs are very efficiently captu...

Enterovirus 71 (EV71) causes seasonal epidemics of hand-foot-and-mouth disease and has a high mortality rate among young children. We recently demonstrated potent induction of the humoral and cell-mediated immune response in monkeys immunized with EV71 virus-like particles (VLPs), with a morphology resembling that of infectious EV71 virions but not containing a viral genome, which could potenti...

In an attempt to isolate virus particles, a hamster macrophage cell line was examined by electron microscopy. This cell line was established from hamster macrophages infiltrating human lymphoid cells heterotransplanted in Syrian hamsters. The cultured cells appeared to be macrophages, containing round smooth nuclei with clear nucleoli, and numerous cytoplasmic primary lysosomes, polysomes, and ...

Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) is an acute, febrile, viral disease of small ruminants that has a significant economic impact. For many viral diseases, vaccination with virus-like particles (VLPs) has shown considerable promise as a prophylactic approach; however, the processes of assembly and release of peste des petits ruminants virus (PPRV) VLPs are not well characterized, and their immunog...

Rubella virus (RV) virions contain two envelope glycoproteins (E1 and E2) and a capsid protein (C). Noninfectious RV-like particles (VLPs) containing three structural proteins were expressed in a BHK cell line (BHK-24S) by using an inducible promoter. These VLPs were found to resemble RV virons in terms of their size, their morphology, and some biological activities. In immunoblotting studies, ...

Viruses, or Virus-Like Particles (VLPs), occur in large numbers (~10-10 VLPs/ml) and are acknowledged to be general constituents of aquatic ecosystems. The bactericidal effect of VLPs derived from cultured marine strains and natural marine waters were examined under various multiplicity of infection (MOI = 5.28 0.0017) using Escherichia coli AB1157 as the recipient. The E. coli population was r...