Protective efficacy of baculovirus-derived influenza virus-like particles bearing H5 HA alone or in combination with M1 in chickens.

Since 2003, the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 has become a serious problem in animals and an increasing threat to public health. To develop effective vaccines for H5 HPAI in chickens, virus-like particles (VLP) were produced using a baculovirus expression system. The particles comprised hemagglutinin (HA) alone (HA-VLP) or HA in combination with a matrix protein (M1; HAM-VLP) derived from a recent clade 2.3.2.1 H5N1 HPAI virus. To compare the immunogenicity and protective efficacy of these VLPs, 10 μg HAM-VLP, the equivalent amounts of HA incorporated HA-VLP or whole inactivated virus (WIV), were emulsified with mineral oil and used to immunize chickens. The serum hemagglutination inhibition antibody levels induced by HA-VLP and HAM-VLP were comparable to WIV. Antibodies to nucleoprotein were detected only in the WIV group. Immunized chickens in each group survived and were protected against a lethal homologous virus challenge, showing no clinical signs of infection. The challenge virus was detected intermittently in some oropharyngeal swabs, but not in cloacal swabs or various organs, which means that VLPs and WIV provide protection against systemic but not local virus replication in chickens. After the challenge, the HA-VLP group showed significantly increased serum antibody levels compared to the HAM-VLP and WIV groups, and some chickens in the HA-VLP group seroconverted with respect to nucleoprotein. Taken together, these results suggest that VLPs may be an effective method for controlling HPAI in chickens. They could be applied to a differentiating infected from vaccinated animals (DIVA) strategy. In addition, it is likely that HAM-VLP is more efficacious than HA-VLP in chickens.