EBV gL-gH344-Ferritin Nanoparticle Vaccine Elicits Robust Immune Responses in Mice

Considering the absence of a widely utilized EBV vaccine, we have developed an EBV gL-gH344-Ferritin nanoparticle vaccine utilizing ferritin as a carrier. The gL-gH344-Ferritin fusion gene was synthesized and inserted into the pET30a plasmid. The expression of the fusion protein in the recombinant plasmid was verified by Western blot. Then, the gL-gH344-Ferritin subunit nanoparticle vaccine was obtained by purification of the fusion protein. BALB/c mice were immunized using a two-dose protocol. The titers of EBV specific antibodies were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay at 4, 8, and 12 weeks after the initial immunization. Moreover, the levels of EBV gL-gH344 specific splenocytes secreting interferon (IFN)-γ and interleukin (IL)-6 were determined using an enzyme-linked immunospot assay. The pET30a-gL-gH344-Ferritin prokaryotic expression plasmid was successfully constructed. gL-gH344-Ferritin was efficiently expressed in <i>E. coli</i>. Following immunization with gL-gH344-Ferritin, the mice sera demonstrated elevated titers of EBV specific immunoglobulin G. Moreover, after stimulating with EBV gL-gH344 specific peptides, the splenocytes of the immunized mice showed a marked tendency to secrete large amounts of IFN-γ and IL-6. The gL-gH344-Ferritin nanoparticle vaccine carrying the EBV gL-gH344 fusion protein induced robust and sustained specific humoral and cellular immune responses in mice.