Inclusion bodies from recombinant bacteria as a novel system for delivery of vaccine antigen by the oral route.

A fragment of non-glycosylated E2 antigen of classical swine fever virus (CSFV), lacking the trans-membrane anchor (TM-) of the native glycoprotein, was produced in recombinant Escherichia coli strain BL21(DE3) in the form of inclusion bodies. These inclusion bodies isolated from the bacteria cells were administrated orally to mice twice at either 10 or 50 microg per dose. Each mouse fed with inclusion bodies carrying the E2 antigen responded with plasma antibodies and/or fecal IgA at least once during the entire investigation. Our study showed the capacity of inclusion bodies to induce both systemic and mucosal responses as well as to evoke relatively-long mucosal memory when fed to mice at low-number vaccination schedule and without any adjuvant. We propose the use of inclusion bodies for oral vaccination as an alternative to artificial systems for delivery of recombinant antigens by the oral route. Very few steps are needed to obtain an antigen ready for use as a vaccine. The procedure is easy and inexpensive and can be used for development of vaccine against classical swine fever.