Ciencia y tecnología veterinaria

A Bicistronic DNA vaccine against Porcine Circovirus and Porcine Parvovirus

Abstract

Wencheng Lin, Zhenmei Zhang and Shangjin Cui

Background: Porcine parvovirus (PPV) is a widespread, infectious virus associated with reproductive disease of swine and death of piglets, and porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) is an important emerging pathogen associated with a number of different syndromes and diseases in pigs.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to construct a series of recombinant plasmids used for immunizing mice, and measure the immune responses.

Methods: A bicistronic DNA vaccine against PPV and PCV2 infection was developed by subcloning PPV-VP2 and PCV2-ORF2 genes into a bicistronic vector. After the in vitro expression of both the proteins was characterized, the bicistronic DNA vaccine and monocistronic DNA vaccines were injected into mice and the induced immune responses were compared with monocistronic DNA vaccines.

Results: There was no significant difference in ELISA antibody, virus neutralizing antibody and cellular immune responses against PPV and PCV2 in mice immunized with bicistronic or monocistronic DNA vaccine, respectively.

Conclusions: This study indicates that bicistronic DNA vaccine can induce humoral and cellular immune responses in mice against both PPV and PCV2.