Development of recombinant porcine parvovirus-like particles as an antigen carrier formed by the hybrid VP2 protein carrying immunoreactive epitope of porcine circovirus type 2.

Virus-like particles (VLPs) are non-replicative vectors for delivery of heterologous epitopes and induction of immune responses. In this study, a self-assembled porcine parvovirus (PPV) VP2 capsid protein [PPV:VLP-(PCV2)] carrying immunoreactive epitopes, residues 165-200 from the Porcine circovirus 2 (PCV2) virus nucleoprotein was constructed. Immunogenicity study was carried out with hybrid VLPs derived from HEK-293 cells infected with recombinant adenovirus vectors. To our knowledge, this study presents the first demonstration that hybrid non-replicative PPV VLPs carrying PCV2 immunoreactive epitopes can induce stronger antibody responses against PCV2 than recombinant adenovirus of PCV2 ORF2, in the absence of any adjuvant. The hybrid VLPs [PPV:VLP-(PCV2)] might be a promising candidate vaccine for better prevention of the diseases associated with PCV2 as well as with co-infection by PCV2 and PPV.